


All Havens have their Secrets

by SilverWolfCub



Series: Welp [3]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Action, All my stories have angst, Angst, Apocalypse, Brothers, Egos, Family Dynamics, Gangs, Hidden subplot, I have problems defining relationships, I'll get better eventually, No i won't, Other people not mentioned inside, Safehaven City, Vague Relationships, Violence, Zombies, blood and death, no beta we die like men, ocs as bad guys, ocs as good guys, oh boy here we go again, powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 83,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22740790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverWolfCub/pseuds/SilverWolfCub
Summary: Haven is anything but safe.Many people would rather face the zombie hordes outside then the gang violence in.Because, at least then, they could pretend that humanity was better than mindless cannibals.
Relationships: Darkiplier & Antisepticeye, MadPat & Natemare
Series: Welp [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1362547
Comments: 53
Kudos: 134





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well, if you have read the other stories in this series, you might remember when I said I might write a gang story as a joke.  
> Turns out it was not a joke.  
> I've been working on this for months, so uploading schedule will be somewhat regular. Gimme a few weeks though, I need to proofread this book of shit one more time.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the end.

The city of haven was large- bigger than any other shelter in the world. Surrounded by water on one side, mountains on another, and forests on the last, it had the best spot of resources in the area. It was why the city grew to its size, why survivors flocked to it’s gates in search of rescue.

It’s why the human race has survived.

It’s why it’s called Haven.

The name hides it’s true horrors.

Over a million people live in this city, being born and dying and  _ never _ leaving. As time passed, and those who remember a time before the ‘Judgement day’ all died off, those who didn’t stopped living in such fear. They had known nothing else, and they were safe inside the walls.

So they made something else to fear. Themselves.

There are five large gangs, each with their own certain specialty, and each not the people someone wants to cross. Founded thirty five years after heaven was founded, and fifty years after Judgement day, these gangs own the city more than the corrupt politicians. Each had their own plans, but none could execute them, because of the other gangs.

“Haven is in an infinite, tense, stalemate. A chest game that gained pawns as fast as they lost them.” One leader of a gang said one day, a year after his gang came into fruition. “The queens were rarely ever used. The kings were nowhere to be seen.”

The gang with the least power, but the most furious attitude, was the Vipers. Settled in the closest to the outside forests in the southwest of Haven, the Vipers turned the old, zombie infested abandoned warehouses into factories dedicated into turning plants into drugs. Holding a monopoly over drugs and most alcohol, the citizens of Haven had to go through them to have their fun. The king of the Vipers is the oldest leader of any gang, a man named Karlson. Rarely anyone’s ever sees him, all of the commands he gives passed down by word from the Viper’s ‘queen’. The queen isn’t well known either.

Holding down the center of Haven is the Boomer gang, named after how they make things go ‘boom’. They hold use over weapon dealings, if someone wants a gun, knife, grenade, or even a shuriken, they’re the place to go to. It’s said that the Boomer’s King is often seen wandering the city, but no one knows what they look like. There’s speculation that it’s a woman, the daughter of the old King who just died. The police have a name, but they’re unsure. Evelyn. It’s said that she could be the king and the queen, since she seems to have trust issues.

Keeping mostly to the docks by the southeast and awful in every sense of the word are the Maniacs. They deal in the worst part of the black market, whether it be organ selling, or slave trading. The southeast part of Haven is almost a war zone, lived in by only the poorest who have no other place to go. When someone goes missing and a body isn’t found, thoughts go to the Maniacs. The police have seen their leader once, and have a single picture of the man, Valentine. There’s a woman with him, who some speculate is the Maniac’s queen, but there isn't much to go on there.

The last two gangs are similar in their specialty, but are also the most dangerous. Up in the northwest, closest to the mountains, is the Septic gang. The Septics are the ones someone goes for when they want someone to die… spectacularly. They don’t hide their calling card, nor their talent. Their king, a man with the presumptive nickname ‘Anti’ is a very loud person in personality, but that doesn’t stop the police from getting dead ends. Being tied for the youngest gang and gang leader, they’re baffled that the gang rose to power as quickly as it did. Saying so, there have been many reportings of this Anti, but it has never actually been him. They always catch a double, or a masquerade, they’re always three steps behind. His ‘queen’, or his right hand man, has been seen often out in public. The fact that everyone knows exactly who he is and he’s not imprisoned or dead yet is telling in itself. Not only does Anti’s reputation protect him, but so does his own. He goes by the name ‘Mare’. 

The last gang, taking hold of the upper northeast docks and city, are the Shadows. The tie in with the Septics for having the youngest gang and gang leader, their king being a man who calls himself ‘Dark.’ They also deal with assassinations, but they’re the people to go to when someone wants someone to disappear. They, for their young age, also grew very high very quickly in the ranks of the gang. As the Septics and the Shadows have an alliance, they are easily known as the top dog of Haven. The Shadow’s King rarely shows himself, like the others, but has no decoys when he does. No one knows what he looks like because when they find out, they die. When a picture is taken, it gets deleted. The police speculate that it’s the work of the Shadow’s ‘queen’, a man with the code name ‘Mad’.

Said king of the Shadows was out now, crouching down behind some dirty barrels as he watched a man with a few of his colleagues walk drunkenly back home. They had just come from a party hosted by the Vipers down in the southwest, and it was clear that they became very wasted down there.

Dark wrinkled his nose in waiting. The hit specifically said that they only wanted this man dead, with no other casualties, and it had to be tonight. The specifics of it bothered him, as did the fact that they wanted  _ Dark _ specifically to do it, but it was a good sum of money and Dark had been having a very slow and boring week thus far. Not like he couldn’t handle himself if anything arose.

Dark waited a little longer, taking a moment to watch the men go through a dark building (a known shortcut from the south to the north) that laid right on the wall to the outside world. Tilting his head, he could hear the sounds of the zombies outside without even straining his ears. Using that as his cover, he darted over to the building, taking a side entrance through a decayed window.

He landed, straightening his cuffs and fixing his tie as he moved. He was less on the lookout for the drunk men, since they were pretty loud, then he was looking for anything else that could be hiding in the shadows. Being the leader of the Shadows, he knew how much they could hide. And just because the police never got a good look at him doesn't mean that others didn’t know who he was.

He had to be careful just as much as he had to look impeccable.

Deciding that the man would probably get home to his girlfriend before he was ever alone, Dark decided to take another route, climbing up one flight of stairs to the second floor, grabbing the dart gun from his left thigh holster and loading it. Thanking himself for thinking to bring it, he found a window with a good lookout. The man looked drunk enough that he wouldn’t immediately go running if his friends suddenly fell, so he should have enough time to drop the two before getting out his gun that had a silencer. It was late at night, and there were children in these buildings that didn’t deserve to be woken up. Of course, they already had to deal with living so close to the zombies.

He got ready to take his shot, when the hair on the back of his neck stood up. His target had just left the building they were in, but Dark could sense someone else inside. Keeping the dart gun out, he held it to his side as he followed his gut. The other person was quiet, so quiet that he wouldn’t of known they were there if he wasn’t Dark. It could’ve been an innocent- which was why Dark wasn’t going for shoot to kill, and still had his dart gun out.

It was quiet for a few long moments before, “Dark?”

Dark took a second to register the voice, before slowly lowering his gun, putting his left hand into a line of fire and making a signal with it. He waited until he heard a telltale whistle back before moving away from his cover.

“This isn’t good.” He muttered.

“Tell me about it.” Anti said, putting his gun down but not holstering it. They were both on serious edge. “This is definitely a setup.”

Dark jerked his head towards his hit, who was still walking away. “Was that your target, too?”

Anti didn’t bother answering, Dark already knew. “Did the customer specifically ask for you, too?”

Dark shrugged. “Not the first time someone’s wanted us dead.” And it wouldn’t be the last. Dark couldn’t just kill half of Haven, even if he sometimes wanted to. Besides, some of these lower gangsters had innocent families, and they didn’t deserve losing a mother or father who hasn’t done anything but petty crimes.

He didn’t want to make more of themselves.

Anti barked out a laugh. “Mare’s about a block away. He probably saw something that can help us figure out who it was this time.”

They started making their way downstairs as they spoke, and Dark grumbled. “It was the Viper’s party, I would guess Karlson.”

“The fucker.” Anti mumbled, hopping down the last step. He barely landed when a snarl caught them both off guard, and they froze. Anti paled significantly. “No.”

Dark was in the same mindset. “No one would risk that just to kill-“

But there it was, eight or ten zombies staggering towards them. Unlike the zombies people used to read about in books, these zombies weren’t really dead. They were still alive, but they had lost their minds a long time ago, their only function now was to eat and drink. Their only meal being water and human flesh. Luckily, a bite, if treated fast enough with the right stuff, wouldn’t turn anyone. Unluckily, it was very,  _ very, _ hard to get the right stuff. They had access to it, but neither really wanted to use it. At all.

Dark immediately put his dart gun away, taking out his gun and finishing his clip before he even really registered what had happened. It was no longer about surviving, it was about making sure these zombies didn’t spread. As far as he could tell, since there was no screaming anywhere, these were the only ones.

Someone had herded them in.

Dark had to use multiple bullets on each, so only three fell with his entire round. Anti managed to drop four as well, which left two more. Dark took a step back, going slightly up the stairs as his hand flew to reload his gun. Wasting three bullets on dropping the last zombie, he moved to the other one when he realized that Anti had expertly cut off all of its limbs, leaving it dying on the ground. He looked down at it, still trying to move towards him, before chopping it’s head off with his knife.

They stood in silence for a second, the air heavy with their adrenaline filled panting. It was quiet for a few more moments, before Anti grinned, opening his mouth as if about to say something.

They both paused again as they got the feeling of someone else around them.

Almost too quiet to hear, Dark thought that there was a whisper. “Fire.”

Barely understanding what that meant, he only got a moment to pull Anti towards him, putting them both behind the sturdiest wall this old place had, hoping to god that there was actual stone in the wall, and that it wasn’t just painted that way.

Moments later, the house exploded into noise of gunfire, and bullets pierced through every part of everything, hoping to kill them both where they stood. The place Dark found gave them protection but by the amount of bullets and guns he heard, they would surely be either dead or captured when they came in to look for their bodies.

Anti swore quietly at their predicament, realizing that they were squished up against each other in the quite frankly small inclove that Dark had found and pulled them in. “There’s no way out.”

Dark wrinkled his nose, about to agree with him when a thought came to mind. “Yes there is.”

Shifting, he wiggled around until he had found a hollow area in the wooden ground. Dark grabbed a brick just outside of their inclove, ignoring Anti’s sharp, slightly louder curse at something as he brought the brick up and slammed it into the decaying wood of the floor as hard as possible.

The floor broke and bingo, just what Dark wanted.

Dark took a second to remove more of the wood around the hole before judging it. It led to a dark room underneath, but Dark knew the underground, and he knew how to get where he needed to from there.

“Come on.” He murmured, and the gunfire was slowing down. They’d be coming soon. Taking a second to get out a flashlight, he flicked it on before going to the edge and dropping down. Anti only took a second to come after him, and Dark almost frantically looked around the room they had landed in, noticing the door immediately.

Kicking it open, the lights on the other side almost blinded him, but he quickly beckoned Anti out of the room, following him and closing the door behind him.

“Woah.” Anti said in amazement.

It was an old underground train station, the tracks long pulled up and nothing was in use. The place was used before the Judgement day happened, but after the police had cleared out the minimal zombies that were actually inside, it was repurposed into another housing area, for those who wanted a roof when it was raining.

They had come out in the ditch at the back of the tunnel, where the railroads used to lie. Dark could see people in sleeping bags, sleeping on the upper sides, away from the empty railways. Not many people knew of this area, that this place even existed. Dark’s only been here a select few times, but most who lived down here only left for food. It was where the homeless lived, sadly, but they made due. It was safer down here, away from the cold and rain and Maniacs, then it was up outside.

“Let’s keep moving.” Dark murmured. “If they follow us these people will be in the way.”

Now safer then they were before they started a quick but steady pace, Anti following Dark as he went the way he knew was to his base. Anti would have to make it back to his own base later, but neither of them cared for that at the moment.

As Dark’s adrenaline wore off, he started to go slower, but then he realized that Anti was lagging behind. “Anti, this is-“

Anti had stopped, panting as he looked down, catching his breath. One hand clutched his other arm’s bicep, barely stopping the blood that was cascading down his arm.

Back at the house. Anti had swore, quiet loudly, and if Dark remembers, it was right after a particularly close bullet.

God damnit.

“Jus…” Anti slurred, and Dark could hear a accent. “Gimme… ah moment-“

He was falling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy howdy it's this time of year again. Time for a brain dump that we call the Welp series. Hope you all enjoy


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The immunity that came with judgement day.

Dark knew Anti was waking up by the minuscule movement of his eyes as he figured out why he was in pain. He stood still by the door to the room he had put Anti in, not looking at him as to not set off any of Anti’s built in panics from paranoia.

Soon, Anti deemed it safe to open his eyes, and he kept himself from jumping as his pupils slid over to Dark. He was probably confused, waking up in a bed with a wrapped arm. “Care to explain?”

“You were shot in the arm.” Dark provided, “Missed both bones and muscles, nicked a vein but missed the arteries. Only a graze, so you probably passed out from blood loss. Mad said most pain should be gone in a week. You’re at my base, and you’ve been out for 7 hours. It’s 9am.”

Anti groaned, sitting up. Dark didn’t try to stop him. “Did you tell-“

“Mare’s outside, talking to Mad.” Dark replied. “I already told them my side of what happened, but we were waiting for you to wake so that we could get the whole story.”

“Not much more to tell, afraid.” He grumbled, putting his good arm over his eyes. “Gang policy. We only ask for a client's face if they come back for a second hit.”

“We only have a name.” Dark murmured. “And that can be easily faked. Mare says he came running once the gunfire started, and it looked like they had the Viper tattoo on their arms.”

Anti snorted, slowly pulling himself off the bed. He hadn’t been given any sedatives, Dark made sure not to, since he knew Anti hated it. He made it to the door fairly okay. “This is why you shouldn’t mark all of your gang mates. So easy to tell who everyone is.”

Dark agreed, but their two gangs were the only ones who didn’t do that. Of course, they had the two most secretive, and probably most loyal, gangs, but it never mattered.

The only problem was the other gangs. When they first started out, both the Vipers and the Maniacs (and the Boomer King at that time) demanded that at least the higher ups of their gang have a tattoo. They said it was so if they ever met in person they’d know they were telling the truth. Dark called bullshit mentally (you weren't  _ supposed _ to be about to tell who a queen was) but with every other gang glaring down on them and both of their gangs too small at that time to retaliate, they had too.

So Dark got a simple shadow tattoo on the inside of his lower arm, which he could easily cover since he always wore suits. Anti went for a bleeding eyeball on his collarbone, and they thought that would be fine, but then the other gangs said they needed it on all higher ups. They argued for a bit, and then bargained by putting it only on the chest piece ‘queens’ of their groups, Mad and Mare. Both found it stupid, but didn’t complain much.

They rather it be them with the conspicuous tattoo then anyone else.

Dark opened the door for Anti, waiting for him to gain more of his balance as he moved out. It only took a few more seconds for him to look completely at ease and fine again, but Dark was great at seeing the finer details of people’s behavior, and he could tell that Anti was in pain.

Since Anti knew the way almost as well as Dark did, he hung back as Anti started walking through his gang’s house. Some members passed every now and then, nodding and stopping as they passed before going on with their business. Dark didn’t hide his face from the other Shadows, partly because he didn’t need to, and partly because everyone knew what he did to people who  _ tried _ to rat him out.

It was nice having trustable men.

Finally making it out of the sleeping quarters and where they needed to be, Dark opened the door and let his ‘guest’ go through first. His office was large, but not much so, with a desk at the back wall facing the door, and a large bookshelf covered in books on one side. There was a whiteboard on the other side of the room, along with a lone chair, for when Mad was in the middle of an epiphany and wanted some quiet. 

The touches of domesticity were there, though. A picture frame facing towards the back wall on the desk, so only Dark could see it. A dog bed in the corner between the books and door, holding also a pillow and blanket. There were comics and smaller, entertainment books at the dog bed’s height, as well as a few dog toys and one charging tablet. It was hard to tell that a child was in here most days, just by looking at the room.

Mad was swirling around in Dark's chair as Mare relaxed in the extra chair Mad was supposed to have. Mad didn’t move when Dark came in, just grinning slightly larger at Dark’s annoyed look. He quickly moved over to Anti. “You’re up fast.”

Anti scoffed. “Like a flesh wound could keep me down.” He grinned. “Long time.”

“It’s been a week.”

“Like I said, long time.”

Mare chuckled, satisfied to just watch and listen. Dark found that the Septic’s queen was a very quiet person in most parts. He rarely spoke when in public, only deciding to when in private. That meant, though, that he was great at facial expressions, and was excellent at conveying what he wanted by social cues only.

Mad smiled as well, before his face darkened, mind going back to the matter at hand. “While you guys were indisposed, we found out something less... desirable.” 

“Mad hacked some video recordings.” Mare continued. “It wasn’t just Vipers. There were some Maniacs in there too. Clear as day.”

Dark’s eyebrows furrowed. “Any Boomers?”

“No.” Mad said in resolute. “I’m sure, no signs of a single one.”

Dark grunted, hiding his tired sigh. “Don’t rule them out just yet. They got those weapons from somewhere.”

It was strange- most of the guns owned by the gangs were given to only higher ups- the rest only carrying knives or baseball bats. That kind of sorts. The Boomers were careful with what they give out to who.

“I was talking with the Boomer’s queen yesterday, actually.” Mare said suddenly, taking the rooms attention. “They said that one of their warehouses was raided yesterday. They didn’t accuse us, and they said they had footage of what happened.”

“They didn’t want to tell us.” Anti surmised. “But was it because they knew and wanted us gone, or was it to warn us and take a neutral side?”

“Based on what we know of Evelyn and their queen, I say the latter.” Mad shrugged, finally getting up from Dark’s seat so that he could have it. He moved over to the bookcase as he talked. “It’s what we would do, since starting a gang war would be catastrophic. Haven’s economy would plunge if any gang was destroyed.”

Even their gang, who worked mostly with assassinations. That didn’t mean they didn’t have their fingers in other places. The Shadows held ownership to almost every bank in the city, and spearheaded most medical achievements, and the Septics watched over both the clean water supply and the food supply. Destroying either gang would immediately kill the steady flow of money going back and forth between all of those businesses, causing collapse if no one fixed it fast enough. 

It was a part of the stalemate. Every gang had a part in something larger, and taking them out would hurt Haven to much to even try. It was a fool’s plan.

But taking out only the kings… as dangerous as it was, wasn’t as bad as the entire gang. They all have a deal that they signed. It was a way to keep the kings and queens of each gang off limits, unless consequences of entire family dying was actually what said assassin wanted. It’s worked so far, but that didn’t mean that most kings weren’t trying to find loopholes.

Dark was indeed trying to find one for the Maniacs. In his, and almost everyone else’s opinions, the Maniacs were the only gang that If destroyed would not break the city. They hadn’t branched out at all, being too cocky to think that anyone could harm them. They dealt in only what they wanted to, and would be the easiest to do away with.

“The question is-“ Mad continued. “Why now? There’s been a quiet peace for the last year, and nothing besides this attack has been documented to show otherwise. What started this plot?”

No one had a time to answer, as the door opened then. Dark was about to berate the member who thought it was okay to come in without knocking, when he realized who it was.

Chica strode into the room first, pulling the 8-year-old who held onto her collar with her as she went. Said child, Mark, let go once entering the room, running up behind the desk to jump up into Dark’s lap with a surprise hug. Chica, seeing as her job of guarding the boy was momentarily relieved, laid down in her bed and promptly fell to sleep.

“Hey.” Dark grunted at the force of Mark’s jump, taking a moment before letting go, grabbing the child and settling them onto his desk. The boy sat on it without moving, like he usually did. “What’s wrong?”

Mark pouted. “We were playing while we waited for you and Mad, but you never came! We wanted bedtime stories!”

In fact, it looked like Mark was wearing the same clothes he was wearing yesterday, and Mat -Dark tilted his head to see that yes, the other boy was here and bothering Mad- hadn’t either. “Did neither of you actually go to bed?”

He had the decency to look sheepish. “We fell asleep in the playroom with Tyler and Ethan. They wanted a story too!”

Dark sighed. “Mark, you’re eight, you’ll have to start taking care of yourself without me one of these days.”

The child pouted. “But you’re my big brother, you have too!”

“Can’t argue with that.” Dark heard someone, he thinks it was Anti but it could’ve been Mare, snicker.

“I most certainly can.” Dark retorted at no one in particular, before turning back to his little brother. “You’re a mess Mark. What would mom say?”

He pouted, furrowing his brows. “Don’t make things harder for your brother then they already are.”

Dark knew that his words went through one ear and out the other, but their mother’s words usually held on for a bit longer before being lost in the wind. He smiled, ruffling the boy’s hair before picking him up and placing him on the floor. “I’m almost done here, if you stay you have to be quiet, though.”

Mark nodded, moving towards Chica and her bed. Laying the pillow against her fur, he leaned back, careful to not put much weight on her before draping himself in the blanket and grabbing the tablet on the wall. A few seconds later, Mat joined him, and they both started doing something together on the tablet.

Dark started to go back into the matter at hand, when. “Oh, and hi mister Anti and Mare!”

Said people both snorted at Mark’s poor social manners, but gave a smile and wave back. Once they were all sure the both kids were to much absorbed into whatever they were doing to pay attention, Dark spoke again.

“They found that whatever did start this was important enough to bring zombies into it.” Dark lowered his voice as he said zombies, eyes glancing over at the boys before coming back when he realized that they were already too far gone into the tablet.

“And not enough to even kill us.” Anti said. “Just to distract us.”

“Maybe it was because they didn’t want to waste actual people in just decoying you.” Mare suggested. “And even with your aim, it takes two to three perfect shots in the head to break through the skull and kill one.”

“They were making us use all of our ammo.” Anti summarized. “They wanted us dead.”

“Or just too weak to fight back.” Mad shrugged. “There wasn’t a bullet still in Anti, but the wound looked clean and small. Mare found one of the bullets after they all left, and it wasn’t what you would use exactly for a quick kill.”

“And Dark said you were crouched on the ground when it happened, right?” Mare asked.

Anti nodded. “Dark was moving around to much so I was trying to get out of the way.”

Mad nodded as well, as if that helped confirm something. “For how long the gunfire lasted, and from the areas they shot, I don’t know if they were going for the kill. The house shows scattered holes, but they’re all around leg level. We know that the Vipers and Maniacs aren’t that great when it comes to using a gun, so it could be just their bad shooting…”

“Or they could’ve wanted you guys hurt but not dead.” Mare continued. “Either to take you back to base, or to ask you something before killing you.”

“The question is-“ Mad said. “-What?” 

It was quiet for a few more moments, before one of the children’s stomachs growled, loudly. Both kids looked up at the adults with almost hungry eyes.

Dark paused for a moment, before speaking. “Are you staying for breakfast?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story is 27-28 chapters long and while I might edit it every now and then it's important to know that, like, some of the questions you have now might only be answered in chapter 26 or something like that, so feel free to ask questions and I'll answer them to the best of my abilities in the comments.


	3. Chapter 3

The kings and queens of both the Septics and the Shadows all had little brothers. The adults themselves were the same age, as were their brothers. They all found it slightly strange, but life did everything for a reason, and there was no use in questioning it. The only people who might have an answer are their parents, but their parents were all dead.

There was another special thing about their brothers. They had the rare immune trait, barely ever seen and documented. They couldn’t be turned, and if someone is given their blood fast enough after a bite, they could save someone else from turning. Sadly, the other person doesn’t become immune, the blood just clears out the infection before slowly becoming one with the regular blood in the body.

But they have more than that.

Visions and false memories are generally found in those with the immune trait. Kids who have never known a world without zombies suddenly remember exactly what college was like, and how to make food long forgotten to time. Many thought that it was all just a child’s imagination, but when doctors found out that everything the children said about the past was true… well… the age before the Judgement day started to be revived.

Then they all started disappearing.

It happened suddenly, all within the same month. There were only around five children to begin with, but within the month, they had all vanished into thin air. Their bodies were found drained of blood weeks later.

Any hope of rediscovering history was forgotten.

They all knew that this happened, since it happened right before they found out that their own brothers had the trait. It was, in fact, one of the reasons for why they made their gangs- to give their brothers more protection as they grew up. They are still the only ones that know, even if, somehow, the general public found out about four more immune children. They actually give them information that their brothers tell them, just because they too want others to know about the old world.

Dark was just happy that the kitchen was empty besides the six of them and Chica, because Mark and Mat just went into an argument about whether pancakes were better than waffles and which one they should make but Dark’s never had either before so he has no idea how they’ve had them both.

But the two knew how to make them and they had the ingredients, so soon they were all eating a combination of both waffles and pancakes and Dark now understood why it was so important to always have syrup stocked in the pantry.

“Why have you never made these before.” Mad murmured. “They’re delicious.”

Mat pouted. “Mom said that it was your job to cook!”

“I’ll cook them if you write down the recipe.”

And so now they had a recipe for both pancakes and waffles. Excellent.

Dark knew that they would have to send it in to the scientists of Haven. They, using what was already there and what was learned, built a new internet for the public to use. Sadly, they couldn’t access the old to transfer everything over, but with this, they could put the recipes online. Soon, everyone would know about pancakes and waffles again. Just like the old bisquick company came back into reality when Mark went on a rant about it and Mad recorded the whole thing.

Dark can't wait until their brothers are older, when they’ll understand. He can’t wait to tell them all the good they’ve already done for the world.

And they can do it anonymously, no one will ever know who they are. They’ll be safe and out of harm's way.

Unluckily and luckily, the other gangs do know who these kids are, but only in relation of family. They don’t know about their traits, and they never plan on telling them. The Maniacs are not above selling children, and none of them trust the other gangs enough, at all. It was one of the reasons why Dark allowed Mark to get Chica- he trained and turned Chica into a loyal guard for both Mark and Mat. She never left their side unless Dark or Mad was around, and they knew to not go anywhere without her.

The lucky part is that knowing them keeps them safe from the gangs. They know that hurting them immediately invokes wrath from both gangs. They added that family of the kings and queens were off limits to the treaty because of their brothers, and Dark put three bullets into the old Boomer king’s head when he made a single threatening comment about them, one for each eye and one through his tongue.

So yeah, pretty safe. It was a dangerous game, but they were still pretty safe.

“I wish we could watch YouTube.”

Dark was taken out of his train of thought by Mark, who was finished with his food and was scooting out of the kitchen island’s bar chair. Mat answered seconds later. “Me too.”

For some reason, he was particularly interested in knowing what ‘youtube’ was, but he did have more pressing matters at hand. Someone was actively planning his death, and unlike before, they had at least two gangs on their side.

If the Boomers are involved too… Dark might start worrying.

  
  


Anti and Mare made their way back to their own base, going straight across the territory into their own. Only once they were there did they relax, if only mutely. They had several people keeping watch of the borders to each territory. Anti was in fact confused, since he didn’t see anyone when he crossed.

Picking at the bandage on his arm, he and Mare exchanged looks when, again, there was no one guarding the door to their base.

They found most of their members crammed into the living room, going almost bonkers as they all twitched and fidgeted. Mare went to speak when Anti stopped him, wanting to listen in.

“We can’t just believe a gunman from a random source!” Someone yelled. “Until I see bodies, I don’t believe it!”

“What if they are dead!? What are we going to do?” Someone else cried out. “We’d need a new king and queen!”

“We’d need revenge on whoever did it! That’s custom!”

“Where’s Felix? He’s in charge after those two!”

“He’s in the nursery.” Someone said, and Anti knew that it was Brad. “He’ll be up in a little while.”

There was silence, before, “ _ Oh no! _ Nate and Jack just lost their brothers!”

Anti finally butted in. “Quiet down!” He yelled, and suddenly, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The lights flickered for a second. “Geez! We leave for one night and you all lose your shit! Now calm down, think clearly,  _ and who the fuck told you that we were dead? _ ”

It took a moment before anyone moved, and it was Brad who squeezed through everyone to speak. “We got notice from a border guard that someone was walking towards our territory with a gun to Felix’s head. When they finally got here, he coldcocked Felix and told us you were dead.”

Anti twitched. “What was he doing outside of our territory?” He was third in command here, he answered when Anti or Mare couldn’t. But he wasn’t the king and he wasn’t the queen, and the treaty they had made didn’t count for him. Third in commands at the other gangs were usually the only members that talked with the king and queen, and they were the ones who relayed it back to the normal members. They were the ones who are the most likely to be killed due to something their gang did, even more so then the lackeys. Especially because everyone knows who the third in command is, in every gang. Anti doesn’t know any king personally besides Dark, and he hasn’t  _ even seen _ any other queen besides his own and Mad, he doesn’t know what they look like.

Which is why the third almost never leaves their own territory. It’s practically suicide.

“Visiting his girlfriend, I think.” Brad said. “She moved into Boomer territory, and he had a deal with them to give him safe passage. We’ve already spoken with them- they let him through no problem, but they say one of their border guards saw him leave their territory down into Viper’s.”

“He’s a little concussed at the moment.” Someone else piped up. “Says it’s all a little blurry.”

Mare crossed his arms. “So we don’t know why he just suddenly went into Viper territory?”

“Someone must’ve lured him in.” Anti guessed. “He’s to soft hearted for this.”

“Thanks for the compliment.” Speak of the devil, Felix entered the room, scratching the back of his neck while grinning. He winced soon after. “They changed the territory border’s perimeter- I thought I was still in Boomer territory. I don’t know if it was a Viper, though. He didn’t have a Viper tattoo.”

“Someone working by themselves?” Brad asked, and suddenly, he was herding the three of them towards the nursery. Away from the prying ears of the other members. “Then how did they know about what happened to you?”

“Matter of fact-“ Felix said, glancing at Anti’s wrapped arm. “What  _ did _ happen? You got shot?”

“Later.” Anti bit out. “It might not be a Viper, but it could’ve been a Maniac.”

There was a lapse of silence. 

  
  


Anti put Felix on a week on medical leave. He didn’t actually leave, it was more of medical grounding. He’s to sleep in the on site clinic and get checked everyday for a week. Once the week is over, he can work again.

He wasn't happy but oh well.

Since Felix doubled back and said that Anti should be on some type of medical leave for at least two weeks (and if anyone dislikes medical leave more than Felix, it’s Anti-) they compromised. Felix was on leave for half a week and Anti had to go on a walk for a few hours.

It was great being a king.

So here he was, strolling into Boomer territory without a care in the world. He knew the moment he crossed the threshold that he’d be reported, and he knew he had at least three different eyes on him, but he didn’t care. The Boomers’ had a nice little park with a playground in it, and Anti found it peaceful.

Oh, yes. And he brought the kids.

That was included with the walk. Jack and Nate had been bugging Felix for the past few hours, and Felix couldn’t deal with it anymore. Anti snorted, he didn’t have any young siblings, he didn’t understand how to handle them.

By the time they reached the park it had gone up to five eyes on him and now it was itching him the wrong way. He didn’t have a guard dog to protect his and Mare’s little brother, like Dark did. They both seemed to have a way of getting out of trouble before trouble even caught them. Still, maybe he shouldn’t of brought them to Boomer territory when he was technically still injured and alone right after an attempt on his life, when they didn’t know if the Boomers were a part of said attempt on his life.

Fuck, he’s stupid.

He was very tempted to call the two kids back. Jack had just started his climb to the top of the playground and Nate had made it to the swings. If they left now, and Anti put enough tone into his voice, they wouldn’t complain. Much.

“Are you alone?”

It sounded like a woman, but Anti knew never to be to sure. Especially because he recognized the voice- and he knew that it was fake.

He turned his head, leaning a little sideways on the park bench to look behind him. It wasn’t to warm outside, but the lady looked as if they were in a blizzard- gloves, a jacket, boots, even ski goggles. Anti couldn’t see a single bit of skin anywhere. They had long blond hair, but Anti couldn’t tell if it was real, dyed that color, or a wig all together. Anti didn’t even know if it was a woman.

Anti knew who it was, though.

“Nah.” He said. “I got two bodyguards.” He pointed at Nate. “Dumb.” Then Jack. “And dumber.”

It took him a moment to realize that not many even knew what that movie was. The entire transcript was online, thanks to Jack, but it was a long lost movie. Oh well.

“Where’s your queen?”

And that voice. It wasn’t real, Anti could hear something electronic in it. At least he knew now. This voice had been used before, but he’s never been close enough to realize that.

“In Septic territory.” Anti kept it short. This was a warm welcome compared to what others do when someone comes into another territory unannounced. He guessed being king had to do with it, a lot. Still, he wasn’t in the position to ask questions or be much more snarky. He liked the Boomers, after all. “Once they’re tired out, I’ll be leaving.”

“You are not unwelcome here.”

“Just call before hand, I know.” Anti muttered. “This was a last minute sort of thing.”

“I understand.” The person said, and Anti finally took his eyes off of them, finding both children in the park before relaxing. “Would you like to have our doctors take a look at that?”

Anti was confused for a moment, before looking at his bandaged arm. “‘S fine. It’s already been checked over.”

And if Anti was bleeding out, he would have Mad be the one healing him. The man’s smart, smarter than anything he’s ever seen. He’s better than most professional doctors.

It was quiet for a moment, before the person spoke again. “Very well then. I will be off now.”

“Hey.” Anti called out before the other person even moved to leave. “Why were you the one who was sent out here to greet me? Seemed like a bad idea.”

“You are more trustworthy then you think you are.” The other said. “You knew we had men watching you- if you were planning anything of harm, you would’ve gone by it in a different way. Besides, my King wanted to tell you something.”

“Ooo.” Anti turned back around to face the other. “Evelyn’s thinking about me? I’m flattered.”

Anti couldn’t see any facial movements, but he liked to think the other smiled. “She wanted me to tell you and the Shadows to be prepared. The Maniacs and the Vipers are planning something, together, and from what we know, it has to do with someone you both look after.”

Anti’s face morphed into confused anger, and he nodded. “Thanks for the heads up.” He stood. “I’ll be heading back now.”

The queen of the Boomers nodded, and disappeared into the crowds.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or otherwise known as Dark knows how to fight, Mad's an idiot, Anti is done and Mare's just along for the ride.

Dark was stuck in the kid’s playroom for longer then he meant to be. 

He had a conference call in, like, five minutes but that doesn’t matter because Ethan fell and scraped his knee while trying to balance on something. Dark just couldn’t have that, though, and since Mad was who knows where he had to make sure that the four year old was okay and that he got some cookies to make it feel better.

Then he told the other three (his brother, Mat, and Tyler, who was also 8) to leave the child alone to rest and to play elsewhere. Chica groaned and glared, as if annoyed that she had to start moving around again.

Dark glared back. It was now a staring contest.

The dog fucking won. Dark pretended it never happened, because if he did he’d snap during the conference call and he needed to talk to his lawyers about another bank firm not under his thumb and-

He’s really tired.

He didn’t really sleep at all, to busy making sure that Anti didn’t suddenly become a hemophiliac and die of blood loss during the night. Stupid, he knows. That didn’t stop him, though. He hates having people die in his arms, whether it be one of his gang lackeys or his own mother.

Ugh.

The conference ended well, one of his lawyers had dug up some excellent blackmail- and Dark had already gotten the email from the banking firm about collaborating. Dark didn’t know what pleased him more- the fact that it worked, or the fact that Mark was the one who brought email back in the first place.

Either or, the day was looking up.

He jinxed it.

The alarm started to blare on his watch, and he shot up from his seat immediately. Ignoring everything else, he ran from the room, hand already hovering over the gun on his thigh.

“Status, now!” He barked over a comm. it took only seconds for someone to answer.

“Intruder, sir.” Someone said. “Only one, wearing black. Snuck in, unclear how- only one casualty so far, just unconscious. Man was seen going towards the back, we’re following now.”

Dark knew the mansion-like house better than anyone else, save for maybe Mad. He knew every short cut and every door and window out of the house. 

Quickly turning, his stride took him down an empty hall, and he took another turn, taking him only a few feet from the only back door of the house.

A man dressed in black turned the corner, skirting to a stop once he saw the gun pointed at him by Dark. Dark couldn’t get a good look at him, his face being covered, but he was holding something large, covered in a blanket the same color of his clothes. Dark would’ve thought that the man was just stocky if he didn’t notice it.

Then the blanket moved and Dark’s eyes narrowed in clear suspicion. He had taken something that was alive. And of that size…

It wasn’t Chica, and they had no other dog that size. The children were all bigger then the bundle, except for-

Dark growled. “Put him down,  _ immediately. _ ”

The man did not, instead shifting his stance and moving the bundle to his hip, letting one of his arms free to grab a knife but keeping the bundle as a shield in front of him. Dark wrinkled his nose- he trusted his aim, but he still didn’t want to take the chance, since this man was clearly well trained.

Just a few minutes, someone would be here soon to help him out.

Dark threw his gun into his other hand as the man darted forward, aiming for his wrist which use to hold his gun. His now free hand grabbed the man’s knife hand as his not free hand hostered the gun into his other thigh holster.

The man took advantage of his multitasking, digging his heel into one of Dark’s feet while spinning the knife in his hand, holding it like a dagger and digging it into Dark’s wrist.

To stop it from going deeper, Dark let go, jabbing the man in his stomach with his good hand before clocking back his elbow and going for the man’s neck.

The man stopped his elbow with his own arm, and Dark could admit that this guy was good, since he had only one hand to use and he was carrying something. Granted, Dark was going easier as to not hurt what he was holding, but he had to give props.

It just made him madder.

Changing tactics, Dark jerked his elbow down, locking the other man’s arm down for a moment, other hand darting out for his neck. Quickly, he pulled at the fabric there, getting a glimpse of a tattoo before it was covered, the man backing up slightly.

Dark was now pissed. “Maniacs.” He hissed, and he knew he got it right with the slight twitch of the other man. “If I ever let you go, tell Valentine that I’m coming for him next.”

He moved forward, taking a page from the man’s book and hooking a foot around his leg, knocking him off balance. He had only a second of flailing, but Dark grabbed his knife hand, pushing it back until he heard the telltale crack. Grabbing the knife before it fell, he dug it into the man’s side, making sure to miss anything important.

Now the man was actually falling.

Letting him, Dark only grabbed the bundle from his hands before moving away. The bundle was shaking, and he could now hear it whimper and sniffle. Dark frowned, turning in such a way that the bundle couldn’t see the downed man before slowly uncovering it.

“Shh.” He said, taking on the voice he saved for almost only Mark. “It’s okay, you’re safe.”

“D..Dark?”

Ethan rubbed at his red eyes, still sniffling, and  _ what was the Maniacs planning to do? _ It being the Maniacs worried him more than anything else, but they knew what this place was, and they knew who was under his protection. Yesterday it was attempted murder, today it was attempted kidnapping.

What was going on?

  
  


Anti arrived back at his base to a strange but not uncommon sight.

It started with his gang members giving him weird ‘someone’s here’ looks that he only got when a king or queen decided to come unannounced. If it was Mad without a disguise, then he’d be let through. They didn’t know who he was, but Mare gave him a key so he was to be trusted. 

They knew who Dark was, so it wasn’t him.

But the fact that Mare wasn’t around and his members all seemed to be semi relaxed clued him into who it was.

He opened the door to his office, and it took only seconds for Jack to yell out. “It’s Halloween! I wanna dress up!”

Anti didn’t know what Halloween was, and what it had to do with dressing up, so he just let it go. More pressing matters, he’ll ask later. “Go bugger off now.”

They buggered off.

Mare sat at his desk chatting with someone else on the other side, back to Anti. It reminded him exactly of the Boomers’ queen, just without the amount of effort. It was still impossible to tell who was underneath all of the clothing, it was just that this person (probably a gang queen) went for a more blending in look then the Boomers did. This one had on a leather jacket and covering biker like gloves, along with jeans and boots of some type. Under a wig of curly red hair-

Anti snorted.

It was Mad. He had taken off whatever he was wearing to cover his face, so now he just looked like a red haired grinning lunatic. Anti’s confused as to why Mad was even disguised to begin with- sure, most Septics didn’t know who he was but then again no one knew who the queens were, Mare was the only exception. He must’ve been doing something beforehand where he felt like he needed it.

“Do I want to know?” Anti asked.

“It’s a great story.” Mad grinned even wider. “Maniacs wanted to talk by the docks so Jason and I put on matching outfits and voice manipulators. We went out their together just to screw with them.”

Anti arched an eyebrow. “What did they want to talk about?”

Mad shrugged. “Dunno, never actually got to that, since I accused them of attempted kingly murder in the first minute.”

Mad made it seem like it was for fun, but Anti could tell that he did that for safety too. There’s a high probability that those behind all of this have a bone to pick with Mad as well. Mad was someone who loves precautions, and by having there be two of them, who’s to say that either of them are the queen to begin with?

“They denied, of course.” Mad shrugged. “I think around the end they realized which one of us was actually me, and they got a little weird. Kept staring at me, like they were trying to figure out how much of my outfit was fake.”

“This is Dark’s job, but I’m going to say it either way.” Anti started. “For how precautionary you are, you really need to be more cautious.”

“Says the man who just took Jack and Nate into Boomer territory.” Mare retorted. “But I agree. They most likely called you there to get more information on your physical appearance.”

Mad finally seemed to leave whatever playful mood he had behind, leaning back and crossing his arms. “I am worried about that.” He started. “Since this isn’t the first time. I’ve had regular meetups with the Maniac queen and their third for the past year, once or twice every month. Valentine and Karlson was even there for one of them. I think that was the third time.”

Anti was going to slap this man. Forget everything he thought about Mad being smart, because  _ he was clearly an idiot. _ He pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’ve been disguised for all of these meetings, correct?” He asked, and Mad nodded. “Okay…  _ What has Dark been doing about these? _ ”

“Nothing the first two times.” Mad shrugged. “He knows that I can handle myself- and I almost always have my comm and a gun on me. After the meeting with Valentine and Karlson, though, he started joining me whenever they would plan a new meeting. This was the first time he didn’t come, because he’s basically dead on his feet right now-“

Something started to ring in Mad’s pocket.

“Speak of the devil-“ Mad rummaged around in his pocket, pulling out a comm with slight flourish before answering it. “I hear you. Here with Mare and Anti.”

It was quiet for a moment, before- “ _ Breakin at base. _ ” Dark replied, and any joking feature of Mad’s face completely vanished. “ _ Confirmed Maniac. It was a kidnapping attempt, I need you back at base,  _ **_now._ ** ”

  
  


Mad went alone. He trusted Mare and Anti with his life, but right now the Shadows are on high alert for  _ any _ gang member that’s not their own, and the Septics still needed to stand back up from their yesterday fall.

Luckily, he had taken his motorcycle with him. 

A good thirty or so minutes of breaking traffic laws later found him stopping out in the front of the Shadow’s base, and he almost haphazardly tossed his keys to one of the men waiting outside. Not waiting, he hurried up the stairs into the house.

Something small barreled into him with enough speed to almost knock him off his feet. Mad looked down to see his little brother crying, and frowned. A quick scan over didn’t show that he was hurt, and he didn’t look traumatized. Mad picked the child up so that they were eye level. “Hey, bud. Talk to me.”

Mat sniffled. “We-we left E-Ethan alone ca-cause he hur-hurt his k-knee and-“

“Woah okay-“ Mad shuffled over to a table, sitting his little brother down. “Stop, I need you to breathe, Matthew. Now, start over,  _ slowly. _ ”

Mat sniffled again. “Ethan hurt hi-his knee, and D-Dark wanted us to le-leave him alone so he could sl-sleep. But there was a, a stranger an-and he took h-him-“

This was getting nowhere and Mat was starting to hyperventilate and stutter again. Mad sighed, cutting him off with a large hug. His little brother started crying again.

He stayed there for a good ten minutes before breaking apart. “Feel better?”

Mat nodded, speaking in a small voice. “Yes.”

“Good.” Mad spoke. “Now, where’s Dark?”

Dark was holding two different children as he sat in his office, issuing orders to the thirds. The Shadows has two thirds, since at the beginning they couldn’t decide between them. Dark had elected a man named Bob while Mad went for a guy named Jason. They had all been friends since before the start of their gang and while Dark and Mad had been arguing about who should be the third they compromised and both took on the position.

Jason had changed out of his matching biker outfit at some point, and was phoning someone, talking quietly but angrily. Bob was listening to whatever Dark had been saying, arms crossed and face set.

Dark, the king of the Shadows, one of the scariest gangs out there, was holding a sleeping child while bopping another one repeatedly on the head and face to make them laugh. Ethan had fallen asleep at some point, and Mark was the one laughing. Dark himself had a bandage wrapped around his wrist and a permanent scowl, but besides that he looked fine.

Mad wracked his head, why did they want Ethan, out of all the kids? Was it because he was alone? Was it possible that they knew about his older brother? 

Ethan's past was mostly a mystery, one day a childhood friend of Anti's- Blank, appeared and handed Ethan over, practically a baby at the time. He said he wouldn't be able to care for him, before disappearing. Anti went over to Blank's old house the next day to find out that his parents had died a few months earlier. Blank himself had resorted to smuggling- but not between the walls, no. He smuggled from city to city, which explained why he couldn't take care of his baby brother. The same was true for Tyler and his own older brother. The job was dangerous, both due to the zombies and due to the enemies he would make along the way.

But there's no way they connected Ethan to Blank. The other never visited, he knew the dangers. Ethan himself knew nothing. No, it had to be something else...

Mat wasn’t letting go of his hand, and Mad realized with a shiver that Chica was here with Dark, and that Mat was wandering the halls without her. He’d have to berate his brother later, when he wasn’t in such an emotional state.

“Finally.” Dark murmured, and there were four pairs of eyes on him quite suddenly. “Shadow’s are on lockdown. We need a plan.”

“What of the person who did this?” Mad asked. “Where are they?”

“Dead.” Bob said sullenly. “Had a suicide pill tucked away. He used it right after Dark left.”

“Damnit.” Mad swore. “Why’d he try to take Ethan?”

Dark patted his little brother off of the desk, ushering him over to Chica. Mat took that at his que to do the same, and unhappily left Mad’s side, joining his friend and taking the time to distract himself.

“We don’t know.” Dark grunted. “But he was the only one in the nursery at that time. It might’ve just been chance. Ethan doesn’t know, either.”

Mad crossed his arms. “This isn’t good.” He murmured. “We don’t know how he knew our location, how he got in, or why he went after one of the kids. And we don’t know what their after, and what they’ll do next.”

“First they went after Dark and Anti.” Jason had gotten off the phone. “Then after the kids. There’s only really two other options left, if they’re targeting.”

“What are you thinking?” Dark murmured.

“He’s thinking the other two options are either the thirds, us.” Bob said. “Or the queens.”

Mad had thought of that, but he hadn’t put that much thought into it. Dark, on the other hand, seemed pretty surprised. And enraged. “I expect all of you to be more careful then usual.” He almost growled. 

“‘Course.” Mad agreed.

“Especially you.” Dark turned on him then. “You might be hidden, but they’ll be harder on you. Everyone knows the skills of a queen. They’ll go all out if they do try something.”

“Why is Mad hidden?”Everyone turned to see that Mat was, indeed, paying attention. “Who’s he hiding from?” He paused. “Is it Jason?”

“He’s hiding from the bad guys, bud.” Bob said softly, with a slight chuckle. “Just like you should.”

“I don’t need to hide!” He said, and boy did that give Mad a heart attack. “I have Chica!”

“Do you want to give her more work?” Mad said sternly. “Make it harder for her?”

“Well-“ Mat pouted, before yawning. “No.”

“Exactly.” Mad scanned him. “Do you know what time it is?”

“No.”

Dark checked the time. “It’s bedtime for all of you.” He stood up, still holding Ethan. “Come on, I’ll go with you.”

They left soon after, leaving the room quiet. Mad let the silence settle before speaking. “The question is, why are they doing this?”

Jason shrugged. “We’ve never seen eye to eye but this is dangerous. If they’e trying to destroy two different stabilized gangs then what do they expect will be the consequences?”

“Maybe they don’t care.” Bob supplied. “They might think their strong enough to survive even if Haven collapses.”

“That’s fucking insane to even consider.” Mad grumbled. “How cocky are they?”

“Cocky enough to attack Anti and Dark.” Jason said. “Cocky enough to kidnap a child under Dark’s protection. And they got away with the first one.”

“There’s something more to this, though.” Bob urged, and Mad agreed with him. “Something we just haven’t found yet. They wouldn’t do this just to get rid of us, there has to be something else they want. Something to valuable to pass up.”

Mad sighed lowly. He didn’t have an answer and he’d just give himself a headache trying to find one. “Are your contingency plans up to date?”

“Just checked them.” Jason walked over. “But we’re not leaving until this building has fallen and your bodies are buried.”

“Wow.” Mad barked out a laugh. “That’s some strong loyalty.”

Bob laughed too, but it was an amused one. “You and Dark are so funny sometimes. You try to act cold all the time, and then you worry over our safety.”

“Only bad leaders don’t think of their men.” Mad replied breezily. “It would be hard to find someone good enough to replace either of you. Most thirds don’t survive this long.”

Bob grinned, before frowning. “Did you hear about Felix? Got dragged around Haven at gunpoint by some guy.”

“Really?” Mad’s voice held a fascinated curiosity. “Do you know what gang did it?”

“I think maybe Vipers, but no one knows.” Jason said with a shake of his head. “He didn’t have a tattoo to identify him.”

“One.”

They turned to the doorway, where Dark stood with his arms crossed.

“Pardon?” Mad asked.

“One. One left.” Dark said, with a tone of annoyance and horrid realization. “Kings, Queens, Thirds, and, for whatever reason, kids. If Felix was just threatened, then-?” 

Bob’s eyes widen in realization. “They’ve already gone after a third!” He exclaimed.

“And if they go where we’re thinking, they’ll go for the queen next.” Jason continued. “We just don’t know when.”

“They won’t go.” Dark said. “Not yet. They don’t know enough.”

Mad narrowed his eyes. “You think..?”

“Yes.” Dark answered. “They know who the kings are. They know where to find the kids, and they know who the thirds are. Mare doesn’t hide, but that doesn’t make him easy to find or track. And they don’t know who you are.”

“We don’t know if they’ll go after both of you or only one.” Bob said, scratching his chin. 

“Dark.”

The room went quiet from the tone of voice. Mad stood stiff in the room, staring at the king. His voice was rough, firm, and attention grabbing. “What?”

“There was another meeting today.”

It took a single second to register, but then Jason was slapping his forehead and cursing while Dark slammed the door shut, finally going back to sit down. “What happened then?”

“The same. I took Jason with me.” Mad said, still very still and slightly resigned. “I was talking to Mare and Anti about this, before you called. They’re thinking along the same lines.”

“How fast can you get in contact with Mare?” Dark asked.

“I got an emergency comm connected to him.” Mad got up. “I’ll fill them in on what I found.”

“Mad.” Dark called before Mad completely left. “Do not leave Shadow’s territory under any circumstances, and for god’s sake, tell me if you’re going somewhere outside the house.”

Mad grinned. “I’ll be fine, Dark.” He said. “They’d have to bring half of their force just to beat me.”

That’s what Dark was worried about. What if they don’t do that? What if they do something else?

“Don’t be cocky.” Dark grumbled.

“I always am.” Mad sang as he left.

The thirds might’ve chuckled, but Dark was actually to upset to notice or care. “I suspect I don’t need to tell you to watch him.”

Jason scoffed. “We do that anyway. He’s a genius, but he forgets the most obvious things sometimes.”

“Like the fact that humans need to eat to survive.” Bob snickered. “Don’t worry, we got it.”

“You just take care of those kids.” Jason continued. “Tyler and Ethan need their papers redone for school. I’ll watch Mad, and Bob can help when he’s not screening in new members.”

“Now.” Bob said. “That that’s done.” He pointed to the door. “Go to sleep.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Children bring out the best in you.  
> Siblings bring out the worst in you.  
> They're... stuck somewhere in the middle.

As said before, the Shadows have spread out through Haven’s medical laboratories and banking firms. Their money lets Haven’s common folk live lives with less sickness, but it also protected the Shadows in general, for reasons already touched upon.

But that meant that they had to stay on top of everything. They had a system going, gaining just as much (and a little more) money from said firms and laboratories as they were giving away. Many thought that the gang had bad intentions for each place they funded, even though the Shadows  _ did _ want to see Haven prosper.

To try and fix the problem enough as to not be a pain in the ass, the Shadows hosted several little things during the year, open to the rich, poor, and normal of Haven, free to enter and free to eat and drink away. Of course, getting drunk will get you kicked out, but besides that, just little things to give them good reputations. Even the Septics help, donating the food and drinks from their own funded places.

The best part, though, is that it is obviously connected to the Shadows, but the police couldn’t lawfully connect them. Just because it’s common knowledge doesn’t mean that it’s true, and there’s no evidence. They believe that Dark  _ could _ be a king, but after one interrogation (and many pissed lawyers) they never did it again. He walked around as if he owned the place (which he did) and the police could do nothing.

The little thing this time was a ball of sorts. A formal dance, mask not needed but welcomed. This dance was the best success of all of their formal parties, since they let those too poor to get dresses and suits borrow one for the night. That allowed anyone from any class to enjoy without embarrassment. They even had makeup artists, if wanted.

But Dark didn’t want to do it this year. Heck, he might cancel. He’s considering.

Because it’s a Shadow event. Any member not there will be guarding the house, dance, and border (including some of Septic’s, thankfully). And everyone also knew that Anti and Mare were likely to show up at some point. They knew Mare was here, and they knew Mad was nearby.

This was something bad just waiting to happen.

And then, of course, Mark wanted to go. He had been talking to Mare and Anti about it when it happened. They take Mark and Mat over to the Septics once a week. It allowed Mad to tutor them, but it also allowed Mad to compile anything and everything even slightly strange they had learned in the past week. He’d go through it later and pick out what was actually past facts and what was just a strange thought. It got a lot easier once the boys had notebooks and could write well.

Mark had overheard him, and he’s been before and enjoyed it, so he demanded to go. Of course, the others joined in and it was a big mess. They wouldn’t take ‘past your bedtime’ and ‘that’s not actually fruit punch’ as an answer.

So they would go for the first hour before Felix would get them out and to the Septics. They’d stay there, away from anything that could happen. Ethan and Tyler were being watched as well over there, giving Robin company as their brothers joined them.

They had to wear suits. They looked adorable, and they hated it, so win win.

It wasn’t too bad, during it. Mark was a magnet for almost everything. He got business partners asking about when he’d join the business, he got girls of all shapes and sizes cooing over his brother, and he got a few slightly creepy people who he promptly kicked out (into an airtight garbage dumpster) after. His brother, to his credit, was polite the entire time, smiling at the right people and nodding like he was listening to others.

At the moment, there was a certain gorgeous lady cooing at him while also flirting with Dark. Dark, of course, was humoring her. Sure, it was tempting, but he wasn’t going to be lured (accidentally or not) away from his brother and everything else.

Mark, of course, saved him and ruined it all. He scrunched his nose. “Dark, what are you doing? Won’t your boyfriend be mad?”

She went away soon after, and Dark had to firstly thank his brother before asking what the hell. “Well you said that Anti shouldn’t do what he usually does here, and he usually talks to girls a lot like you did.”

“Okay…” Dark said slowly. “And  _ what _ does that have to do with a boyfriend?”

Mark blinked. “A boyfriend? You know, a boy that’s a friend?” He giggled. “You're a big dumb, you didn’t know that, did you?”

Dark blinked, before sighing. Right. He forgot. They’re home school. By Mad. Who has no reason to explain that. And their brothers are all single. And everyone they really interact with are either like that or married, besides Felix, but he’s engaged. Husband and wife, not boyfriend and girlfriend.

“I’ll explain later.” Dark said, before checking his watch. “It’s almost time for you to go.”

Mark pouted, “I never even danced!” He frowned. “Dance with me.”

The things he’ll do for family…

His mother better be watching and laughing. At least one of them would be.

  
  


“I’m telling you, she’s been eyeing you since we arrived!” Mare exclaimed to his best friend, frowning when the other man just laughed it off.

“So? I’m not interested.” Mad shrugged, glancing over to the suspect. A beautiful ginger hidden behind a mask, but it was obvious to see that she was going for their attention.

“You really need to let loose every now and then.” Mare complained. 

“Not my style.” Mad shrugged again, before trying to change the subject. “Want to play a little game?”

“Ooo.” Mare grinned, knocking back the rest of his punch. “Which one?”

“How about…” He looked around, stepping forward as a couple of higher end people passed by them. When he stepped back, he had a watch in his hand. “Pick pocketing?”

“Nice one.” Mare complimented. “Rules?”

“No wallets. No taking from the poor.” Mad stretched out his fingers. “Make sure that they can’t link us back to the party. We don’t want the Shadows taking the hit for our fun.”

It made sense to Mare, and he grinned. “It’s been a while since we’ve done this. Aren’t I winning overall?”

Mad slipped the watch onto his own wrist, checking the time. “I’m pretty sure I’m winning by three points.” He said absentmindedly.

“Bull.” Mare said immediately. “That’s our sparring record.”

“Besides the fact that you just admitting to losing at sparring, that is the overall points of our pickpocketing games.” Mad smiled, amused. “Now, let’s get started. I’ll even keep the watch out of my total point count for tonight.”

“I don’t even need to pickpocket.” Mare frowned and grumbled, crossing his arms. He doesn’t like being accidentally tricked. “I can just charm-“

“Don’t.” Mad snapped, startling him. His voice had lost the joking tone from before. “You promised you wouldn’t do that anymore.”

Mare stared at his friend for a moment, baffled. He knew Mad was against it, he knew why, but that seemed to be a little extra to him. Sure, his personality changed after he’s done it enough times, but still. “Okay, Okay.” He murmured. There goes the pickpocketing game, Mad definitely didn’t want to do it now. He was stupid to bring it up in the first place, damnit. 

“Well, Dark’s definitely enjoying himself.” Mare snickered, changing the subject quickly. They were positioned in a prime place, somewhere that they could see Dark, the front and back door, the punch bowl, and most of the dance floor. Dark had just gotten on the floor with his brother. They were dancing.

“Definitely.” Mad joined in, fine and joking once more, but they weren’t lying. It was obvious that Dark was actually enjoying dancing with his little brother. “That’s adorable.”

“Yeah…” Mare smiled. “Wait. Where’s ours?”

Mad paused, before looking around. Mat and Nate had disappeared. “Shit.” He breathed. “Honey, we lost the kids.”

“What?” Mare was panicking as he looked around.

“Something Jack said once-“ Mad turned all the way around, before sucking in a breath of relief. “I see them.”

“Thank god.” Mare turned around, sighing. He stopped, though. “Wait, is that the punch?”

Mad looked back over. “It is.” He confirmed. “God damnit- hey!”

  
  


Anti had listened to Dark. His brother was here, so he probably shouldn’t find a one night stand right in front of him.

Jack didn’t really want to dance, and he was a little shy, shorter than everyone. That led to him sitting on Anti’s shoulders as Anti mingled. Most of the people, besides a few richer, snobby people just chuckled at the little boy he had.

Some wrinkled their nose at him. Jack, of course, noticed, and would bury his face into Anti’s hair.

“Why are you embarrassed?” Anti would say. “They’re the ones who have sticks up their as-“

And then Jack would slap a hand over his mouth a giggle. “No, bad word!”

Anti would gasp once he let go. “You know how our mom was! No cursing for  _ kids _ . But I’m not a kid anymore!”

“You can’t help yourself!” Jack giggled. “It’s the Irish blood!”

On that particular occasion, Anti had scrunched his eyebrows in question as to what an Irish was, but Jack had his little notebook and Mad could have fun figuring out something. Anti’s almost positive that Jack just opened an old can of worms best left forgotten.

Oh well.

So that went on for a while, Anti and Jack meandering around. He could see the others every now and then, but had no reason or wish to socialize. He barely ever hung out with just his brother. It was nice.

Someone pranced up to them, lips set in a thin frown. Finally, someone who would say something straight to his face so he could put them in their place.

“This is a proper party.” The man said. “Please conduct yourself in a proper manner like that.  _ Kids _ shouldn’t even be here.”

Anti stared for a moment, earlier thoughts forgotten as something came to him. “You are so single tonight, aren’t you?”

“W-What?” The man looked surprised, his face going red.

“You totally are!” Anti laughed, before recognizing the man. “Wife stayed at home? You're not bad looking, but you're not good either, so you’re just going on luck here and girls would much rather look at the kids and their brothers than you.”

The man gaped at him. “Ho-how dare you!”

“I mean, I get it.” Anti was just going on now, to make his face even redder. “Getting laid is  _ great _ . Like,  _ the more the merrier. _ Girls, boys, both -try it you never know- anything, but don’t take your insecurities out on kids. Anyone and everyone is allowed here, lad, so don’t start.”

“You-“ The man seemed to be able to speak. “Who do you think you are, speaking to me like that? I’m the CEO of Green Seeds! We plant over a quarter of the crops made here in Haven! You would starve without us, without me!”

“My brother helps the farmers a lot.” Jack decided to add in just then. “He gives them a lotta money, don’t you, brother?”

Anti couldn’t tell if his tone was innocent or malicious and he didn’t know if he liked or loved that.

The man scoffed. “We get money from only one person, and I doubt he’s even here.”

“Okay, then.” Anti brushed off his hands, his left one holding onto Jack’s leg while his right went out to the man. “I think we got off on the wrong hand, here. Hello, my name is Anti, I already know yours. How about you apologize to my little brother, and I’ll think about not firing you. If you don’t I won’t fire you, I’ll just stop sending my funds to your business and watch you  _ fall.” _

A few seconds passed. Then the man squeaked like a mouse, shook his hand, apologized, and started to scurry off.

“I hope you get a good lay.” He called out. “You need it.” He mumbled afterwards.

“I’m confused.” Jack said.

“Aren’t you always.” Anti reached up to playfully pinch him.

“Hey!” Jack swatted it away. “Anyway, it’s not that. You know how some things have double meanings? Like boo, as in boo! I scared you, and boo! Like boo! You stink!”

“I understand double meanings in words, Jack.” Anti said.

“Okay, then what's the other meaning of laid?” Jack said, and Anti froze mid walk. “Cause you said laid and lay like it didn’t mean to lay down. What’s it mean?”

Anti looked at his watch. “Wow, look at that. Time for you to go!”

He was going to follow that man around and take the attention of every girl he meets. He doesn’t deserve to get laid. Anti doesn’t deserve having to explain to Jack what sex was, so he wouldn’t.

As said before, time to go.

  
  


It was late into the night, and Dark had yet to either drink anything besides water, and to talk to anyone he actually likes. He sees Shadow members milling about in the crowd, and they all do a quick, subtle bow when they come close enough to him, but the two queens were off somewhere (he had seen them a bit ago, so they were fine) and Anti was on a mission or something. He always was at these types of things.

Someone almost ran into him. “Oh, sir, I’m sorry. Excuse me, though, sir, but, y-you're the host of this party, c-correct?”

Dark narrowed his eyes slightly, but kept his fake smile plastered on. “Why yes, I am. Is there a problem?” Someone was probably massively drunk. Hopefully a member will have already dealt with that by the time they go back to see.

“Why yes, there, there is.” The man looked around. “See, there’s this man who’s following me around in this dance. Wherever I go, he follows. Whenever I talk to someone, he joins in and then stops talking once I leave. I think-“ the man leans in to whisper. “I think I have a stalker.”

Dark didn’t want to deal with this, but such as a host. “Point this man out to me, sir, and I’ll handle it.”

The man practically dragged him over to the bar at the back of the dance hall, before walking up almost smugly to the man. “Now I’ll get you to leave me alone!”

The man turned. It was Anti. “Oh?” He asked. “I have been leaving you alone, though.”

“No you-“ The man turned to Dark. “This man has been stalking me this entire night. Please remove him from this dance.”

Anti and Dark looked at each other. Since the man was facing Dark, he couldn’t see Anti wiggle his eyebrows and smirk. Dark resisted rolling his eyes, so this was Anti’s mission.

“Sir, have you been stalking this man?” Dark was bored, and he had to be here, so why not have fun with it.

“Not at all.” Anti sipped on whatever drink the bartender had given him. “We both just have the same goal. Find someone and have a good time. We just have the same type, I guess.”

“What, no-“ The man seemingly growled. “This man is lying!”

Dark ignored him. “How do you know this other… gentleman, sir?”

Anti seemed to enjoy the fact that Dark called him sir. “See, I was with my brother earlier today and he came out of nowhere and insulted him! Now I told him off, but besides that, I’ve done nothing.”

Dark smiled. Of course, that made sense as to what he was doing. “Alright, Anti. I believe you.”

“Huh?” The man asked. “Wait, h-how do you know his-“

“Dude.” Anti cut him off. “We’ve been friends for years. Go on, keep on trying to have people tell me off for you. None of them are going to saying anything to me.”

“I will.” Dark murmured, “You're an annoying slightly psychopathic lunatic.”

“Thank you.” Anti grinned. “Dark’s the only other person here that's high enough rank to tell me off.”

“Well, Mad and Mare do it.” Dark pointed out.

“Exceptions.”

The man might pass out soon, of course his problem was friends with one who basically held every Haven bank in his hands. Would he still have good credit after this? Oh nooooooooooooooo.

He did the smart thing and apologized, promptly getting the fuck out of the ball moments after.

Dark shook his head. “Wasn't that-“

“The CEO of one of my farms? Yep.” Anti threw back the rest of his drink, slamming it down slightly too hard, which told Dark that he was getting more than tipsy. “I won’t do anything. He’s got a big family. Wife’s nice. Like, super niiiice.”

Dark took a second, before frowning. “I thought you didn’t like taken people.”

“Wha?” He blinked. “No, wait, no, I didn’t sleep with her or anything. No, she’s actually just super nice. She’s like my grandma, she baked me cookies with their four-year-old daughter when I came over. He didn’t show up though…” Anti’s eyes grew distant.

The bartender (one of the Septics) brought over two more shots. Dark passed his over to Anti as said king finished his own. “Anyway, go fuck off.”

Dark arched an eyebrow, not knowing if he was hurt or amused. Anti wasn’t drinking the last shot, probably realizing that he reached whatever limit he set himself tonight. “You don’t like my company, Anti?”

“Unless you're gonna suck my dick, then no.” Anti took a moment before getting up. “Thought so.” He slurred slightly. “Now fuck off so that I can find someone who will.”

Dark stayed in his chair as Anti walked away, sighing. Anti rarely drank, only really ever at these balls. And that’s because Anti gets overly horny after he’s had enough shots, and, of course, his mouth loses it’s filter entirely. He also loses any preference whatsoever. Shown by the fact that he was flirting with a guy twenty feet over (and pretty well, too. He looked as sober as anyone else there) and it looked like it was working.

Dark sighed again, getting up and moving back towards the front of the ball, where he was before. He should probably check up on Mad and Mare. The latter sometimes drank at parties, but Mad almost never drank at all, like Dark. The party had around another hour left, but he could leave now with no problem. Just needed to check on everyone. Like he always did.

The two queens were by the entrance, sitting down at the couch Dark previously occupied as they talked to a few business partners, chatting them up and joking and being all around people persons.

Dark could tell that they were very bored.

“Excuse me, gents.” Dark spoke up. “But I must have a short talk with these two. It’ll only take a few moments.”

Relief was easy to see on their faces.

“Thank god.” Mare muttered. “They just went on and on about their money and power and how pretty their wives are.”

“Why do old guys love such strange competition?” Mad thought aloud.

“Most of the people here are fifty or sixty.” Dark replied. “We’re twenty. I’ll answer that when I’m old and actually know why.”

Mare frowned, before changing the topic. “What do you need?”

“Nothing.” Dark said. “Just checking in. I’m going to leave soon, and I suspect Anti has already gone.”

Mare arched an eyebrow. Dark just nodded in response. “I knew it.” He sighed, “He really can’t hold his liquor well, can he?”

“It’s surprising, really.” Mad said, because they all understood what had happened. “We’ll close everything up, don’t worry.”

Dark nodded. “Check in with me when you get back.” He started. “And Mare, make sure Anti isn’t found wasted or dead in a dumpster somewhere tomorrow.”

Mare did a mock salute. “It’s my job to take care of the manchild.”

The men were all looking over, probably ready to do some more boasting, so Dark left them to deal with it.

  
  
  


He drove all the way to the Septic’s base, meeting up with Felix, who helped him transfer four sleeping children into his car. Jack, Nate, and Robin never woke up, and neither did any of the kids he cared for, so it was a quiet ride back.

He, along with Bob, carried them all in together, getting them settled before closing and locking the nursery door. His last look inside was Chica snoozing on the carpet in the middle of the room.

Good girl.

It was two in the morning by the time he settled into his chair at his desk, leaving the door open since everyone else was asleep. He was behind in the latest payments he had to make, and he also had to make sure everything was prepared for a meeting at a firm next week.

He was practically dead on his feet come three o’clock, when Mad finally showed up. He looked fine, but was slightly disheveled, enough for Dark to question it. “You don’t want to know.”

Dark did, but Mad would tell him if it was anything bad. “Any news or sightings from the other gangs?”

“I checked with those bordering the party.” Mad said, wiping at his mouth, and was that a bit of lipstick? Dark suppressed a grin. “They saw no one. Made everyone take off their jackets and gloves to check for tattoos before they came in, too. It was only us and the Septics there.”

Dark hummed, relieved but also confused. Everyone in Haven knew about that ball, so it wasn't like they just didn’t know it was happening. Dark wanted to hope that they were done, but he knew it wasn’t that. “Good, thank you. You should go to sleep now.”

“Nah, I can’t.” Mad shook his head, turning around. “I’m going to go spar a bit with Mare.”

Dark arched an eyebrow, confused. “Why?”

Mad paused, blinking. “We always do this before-“ He squinted, looking at Dark. “Are you sure you're getting enough sleep?”

“I’m getting a perfectly adequate amount of sleep, thank you.”

“No you're not.” Mad crossed his arms. “You forgot about the queen’s conference in two days. You need to sleep in, I’ll tell Bob and Jason to make sure you sleep in.”

He turned and left, leaving Dark alone with his thoughts. It took a second for it to click, just proving the fact that he did need a good night of sleep.

The queen conference. Oh fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone who has read the Welp series knows about the second book, The Voices in your Head. Well, I just put up a bonus chapter for the story at the end if you're interested. It's about Azalia, Cole, and Jamie. Check it out if you want!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....  
> The outside world....  
> Crazy huh?  
> Hope you all are staying safe. I might start uploading these and my other story more often to give you all more to read. I'm thinking of starting a new Welp for that purpose too. Just a few minutes of bliss while everyone panics. I mean, the US has closed most schools and everything I do is online now so I have the extra time. Why not?

The queen conference happens twice a year, held somewhere different than usual meetings are held. No one knows where it is until the day it happens. It’s been organized by the Boomers for the last few years, since they are, surprisingly, the most neutral and pacifist of them all. Well, at least, ever since Evelyn joined. Nothing funny ever happened there, though, because no one ever wanted to be on Evelyn’s bad side, no matter how harmless she might seem.

Mad had spent the last two days practically living in the gym, getting back into peak shape. He usually is always in decent shape, but the queen’s conference is one of the most deadly places to be. Five queens, all trained to be able to take down a small army, in a room alone together. He can’t just be in decent shape. He needs to be able to take out at least two people, no, two  _ queens _ by himself in case Mare is indisposed.

And after everything that’s happened… well, he has a good amount of trust in the Boomers, not only to get him there, but to get him back and keep the place a secret and guarded enough not to be a problem.

The thing is, the car’s arriving in the Shadow’s territory in thirty minutes and Mare was laughing at him because his buttons weren’t right.

One of the must-haves for the queen conference was a disguise, and even Mare didn’t try and get out of it. He had appeared a few minutes earlier from the Septics so that they could carpool, and Mad was surprised with what he went with.

Mad himself had bulletproof padding over certain areas of his body, to make him look more muscular. He wore a tight thin black long sleeve hoodie over it, with his hands in white gloves. Over the hoodie, he had on a red prince-like jacket, something you’d only see royalty wear, with white buttons all the way down. His pants were regular slim white pants, only different from the padding, and he had on regular black formal shoes. His hoodie was pulled over his entire head, covering his hair and ears, over that a dirty blond wig. His mask was an orange cat, mouth wide open in a laugh, even though it still covered with other fabric.

Mare, on the other hand, had gone for the other gender entirely, wearing some type of padding (bulletproof, most likely) under his clothes to give him a bit of curve as well as boobs. He wore a slightly dark blue outfit with black gloves and boots (with heels, mind you). The outfit hugged his body, but it messed with Mad’s head just because his body looked distinctly feminine but his face was distinctly  _ not. _ He was holding onto a wig colored like the night sky, a dark blue with splashes of purple, green, and lighter hues of blue, and the wig itself was wavy down to his lower shoulder blades. His contacts were blue, but the most interesting part of his outfit was his mask. Completely white with only holes for the eyes, it was the face of a screaming woman. Mare said the person he bought it from called it the ‘wailing siren’. With the whole outfit on with the voice modifier, Mad would’ve never known it wasn't a girl.

“I know I look good, stop staring.” Mare struck a pose.

“I can’t help it.” Mad played along. “You look hot, darling.”

Mare snorted. “‘Course I do.” He twirled the hair in his gloved hands a little. “You seriously can’t get the buttons? Move, I got it.”

With the buttons fixed they were free to go. Opting to go out a back door to get less stares, they made their way down the streets. 

Even though they looked out of place, no one dared mention it. People stared as they passed, giving them a wide berth. A woman clutched her baby to her chest. An older brother held out a protective arm to stop his little sister. Regular civilians made it their business to keep track of what was going on in Haven’s underground, almost even moreso than the police. They knew what those costumes meant, and they knew to stay out of the way.

A little girl, not being held back (since her mom had younger children hold) ran up to them, smiling shyly. People seemed to hold their breath as she spoke. “Your outfits are so cool.” She said giddily. “I wanna be an outfit maker when I grow up- and I wanna make outfits just like that!”

Her mother stood nearby terrified, as if moving would set them off. Some people looked away. Mad nor Mare blamed them. They were still relatively new, and before them came a long list of vicious and downright awful queens. Some of these people might’ve had an encounter with one themselves. Usually, just by saying they were Septic and Shadow calmed them, but something was making them especially tense.

Did the regular civilians somehow know about the queen conference? That would absolutely cause an uproar. Dangerous people, under one roof, arguing and discussing Haven. If it didn’t go well, then one side would attack and cause civilian casualties. They’d be upset too, if it was them.

Or it  _ could _ be the fact that there were two of them together and that almost  _ always _ spelled trouble.

Mare laughed, voice soft and feminine. “I hope you do.” He said kindly, and the civilians nearby seemed to relax minutely. “I have a feeling that you’d be a great fashion designer.”

The little girl preened, showcasing a missing tooth. “Can I design an outfit for you? I’ve always wanted to design a queen’s outfit!”

Mad chuckled, but said nothing as Mare continued. “I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Now, you should head back to your mommy.”

“Okay!” She turned on her heel before turning back. “How do I get it to you?”

Mare pinched his lips. They were on a time crunch but this girl was just to adorable. Luckily, Mad took out a card and handed it to her. “Have you heard of Rival Marie?”

The girl nodded, eyes widening. “I love her dresses!”

“Well, have your mom take you to her shop one day.” He kneeled down to her height. “Show her this, and she’ll tutor you on everything fashion, free of charge.” He smiled behind the mask, knowing that no one could see it. Rival Marie was actually a Shadow that frequently made clothes for both queens, and she was always on the lookout for fresh talent. She stuffs her cards into these outfits just so that they always had a card to give out. Once she saw it, she’d take the little girl under her wing and raise her up.

The girl’s eyes widen before watering. Before Mad even knew, he was being hugged. “Thank you!”

The civilians around them had relaxed. Everyone knew of Rival, and while only those in Shadow territory knew where she worked ( _ in _ Shadow’s house) everyone knew that she helped the Shadows from time to time. And if he was recommending her, then he must be a Shadow. And civilians knew that Shadows prided themselves on protecting the innocent, just like Maniacs prided themselves on catching the innocent.

They sent the girl off, nodded politely to her mother, and slipped away. The civilians blinked, looking around. The two had seemed to disappear in mid air.

Finally they made it to the spot, and the car appeared. They got in without speaking to the driver, and the car peeled off, going into Boomer territory, heading towards Maniac.

Mad was about to worry when the car took a turn away from Maniac and back towards the center of Boomer territory. Twenty minutes after that turn, the car stopped and they both got out, not bothering to look back as the car drove away.

The building was a rather nice house, quite different from the usual space. Probably to be harder to predict, since the Boomers know about the problems that have happened lately. Even though it was nice, it was small, with a small living room, bedroom, and bathroom. Not even a kitchen.

They had arrived last. The other three sat silently on plush sofas in the living room, waiting for them to arrive.

“Now.” The Boomer queen said. “Let us begin.”

  
  
  


Queen conferences were actually a lot better than regular meetings with kings. Since they never really got anything accomplished in regular meetings, and they only had a conference every six months, they packed days worth of things into a few hours. And it worked, because once you got in, all joking stopped.

Maybe it was because of who exactly was in there.

Mad knew them all as well as he could know them. Besides himself and Mare, the other three queens had gathered up an impressive track record, for being supposedly in the shadows most of the time. The newest of them all was the Boomer queen, someone who started a year or two ago, right after Evelyn became king. It was normal to change the queen if the king resigned or died. Still, the queen had a story to tell. Mad knew that they preferred knives compared to any other type of weapon. There are no deaths that can be blamed on the queen, and the Boomer queen was probably the most pacifist out of all of them, so they were the lowest threat at the moment.

The Maniac queen loved guns. They always toted one around, the only time they weren’t seen with one was during a meeting or conference. This queen in particular liked violence, as well. The Maniacs held a few people hostage one time, demanding some kind of material that the negotiator refused to give them. It had lasted for two days. Mad and Mare had gone down to watch it from afar.

No one understood that the queen was there. They just thought it was another mask.  _ They _ saw it, though. They understood. It was the queen who murdered every single one of the hostages, in front of the police.

There had been a kid, too. The queen didn’t care.

Mad had no doubt that he could take them, as long as they didn’t have a gun, it would be easy. Well, it would be hard, but the queen barely ever fought with anything besides guns, so they were definitely rusty in hand to hand. They’re the aggressive queen, the polar opposite to the Boomer queen. They were aggressive and violent and not very diplomatic at times, but they were good at their job either way. A threat, but not too much of one.

The real threat here was the Viper queen.

The problem with the Viper queen is that there is none. No death can be blamed on them, no robbery or injury or anything has ever been because of the Viper queen. They were a clean slate because there was nothing anyone knew on them. Mad’s going in blind.

But he does know a few things.

The Viper queen is probably the most queenly out of all of them. They’re always graceful, soft spoken but firm, and they can command the room when they want to. They’re one to let the others talk or fight it out, but when the conversation doesn’t go the way they want, they can easily change it back. Not by saying so, but by making the others do so, without the others even realizing.

If the Boomer’s a pacifist and the Maniac’s a sadist, then the Viper’s a manipulator.

The worst part right now is that Mad knows the Viper queen is excellent in hand to hand combat.

And it didn’t make Mad nor Mare feel better when they kept on catching the Viper’s and Maniac’s stare on them during the meeting. They didn't even look away when things randomly fell off the walls.

They got done what they usually did, but it didn’t seem like enough. Mad, for once, was completely silent the entire time, not saying a word and not moving an inch, careful to not give anything, not even a hint of anything, away. Mare spoke for him, since they both had the same goals. How much the others noticed, Mad doesn’t know, but the stares increased behind the masks.

The Viper queen was mostly silent as well, and the entire conference was almost just a three way call between the three actually speaking. It was unusual, very unusual, and Mad had no doubt that every queen in here would report something bad back to their king about this. The conference may even be redone, not because they didn’t finish, but because there wasn’t enough communication and support to actually get what needs to be done done.

It was the first time he’s ever caught himself dozing out in a conference. In front of the queens. But nothing happened.

Something felt so very wrong.

  
  


“I must talk to the Shadow and Septic queen.” The Boomer queen stood up, signaling that the conference was over. “Your cars are waiting for you.”

Once the other two were out, the queen turned to them. “There is something important that my king has decided that you must know.”

Mare crossed his arms. “What?”

“This must not be spoken of in public.” The queen said. “Soon, there will be two people moving from my territory to yours, on the border. One is an immune.”

The air turned still.

“Why.” Mad started. “Are you telling us?”

The Boomer queen’s body was relaxed, which sucked, because it meant that they were completely unreadable. “Because we believe that you have immunes under your care.” They said. “And so we know that they will be protected if we tell you this.”

They don’t know what kind of reaction the queen expected, but they got one nonetheless. Mare stalked forward, eyes blazing behind his contacts. “And how, pray tell, did you learn this?”

The queen bowed their head. “I understand that this could be a touchy subject, but I cannot tell you that.” They started to move away. “We will meet again tomorrow, for our next meeting.”

Mare reached out, as if to grab them, when Mad grabbed them instead, pushing Mare’s hands down. Mare huffed slightly, but understood. They were still at the conference, any violence here would be bad in general.

Even if they did need to know how they knew.

Mad checked his watch. It was past midnight, and the drive would be pretty long. “Want to catch a taxi instead to a hotel?” He asked. “I know one, on the outskirts of Shadow’s property. Got a view of the ocean and everything.”

Mare took a second, before the lines around his eyes crinkled, a sign for him smiling. “Gonna buy me dinner first?”

“I know a nice restaurant.” Mad said, continuing the joke, nudging him as he passed. “Come on.”

They walked out into the night and away from the conference. Driving away from them was a slick black car. Inside, a queen looked back through a mirror at them. “They’re very close.” They observed.

“Always have been.” Said the driver. Not the designated driver, no. That driver was dead. “The Septics and the Shadows have history.”

“It’s a good thing they do.” The queen said. “Makes it all the more easier. I placed the tracker, though I doubt it’ll last for long. Those costumes will be gone by morning.”

“I’ll have men watching by then.” The driver said. “Make sure our associates are prepared.”

“Yes, my king.” The queen said, making the driver smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have the movie Chicago stuck in my head and all I can think about is ohyes ohyes ohyes ohyes ohyesohyesohyesohyes they both reached for thegun thegun thegun thegunthegunthegun for the gun.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Backup plans save lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Merry Easter!  
> Enjoy whatever this chapter was about (I wrote this a few months ago I don't remember)

There weren’t many hotels in Haven, since Haven didn’t get many tourists. Haven, though, was a large place, and when people from the south end visited the north it was much too far away to go back just to sleep. So hotels got business, frequent enough to make it work. Most were very nice in the cheapest way, costing much to stay but spending little to make it that way. It worked, though.

There was one hotel, though, that was thriving. It sat close to the ocean, a large, tall building with plenty of seaside terraces, comfy beds, and good eating. Not to mention the casino downstairs. One of the only in Haven, since there were  _ many _ regulations needed for one. A big regulation depended on lots of money, which didn’t help others with getting a casino for themselves.

This one had one because the Shadows had donated a large sum of profit to have it built, which let Mad stay and dine here for free. It was the nicest hotel in all of Haven.

And apparently full, but that was no problem. They’d find a room, they always did. And it’d be a nice one, too, because they knew who he was.

There's an Italian restaurant connected to the hotel, far enough away from the chatter at the casino for it not to cause a problem. Their table was hidden from view, which allowed them to take off their masks once their food was served.

“D’you think the two people moving in will introduce themselves?” Mare said at a point, spinning his fork in his spaghetti. “Or will they just try and stay under the radar?”

“Depends on who they are.” Mad replied. “If they’re related to any gang in anyway, then they’d have to. It’d be idiotic for them not to, unless they want to die.”

Mare arched an eyebrow. “Are Shadows the shoot first ask questions later kind of guy?”

“Not usually.” Mad said. “But I know Septics are, and they’re on the border.” And Mad knew what house he was talking about, since it had been empty for a while. It was literally on the border, half shadow half Septic.

“Can’t argue with that.” Mare said, finishing his meal with a shrug. “You gonna finish that?”

They both finished full and tired. They already had their room keys, but there was a slight problem of their disguises. So they ditched them at their table, wearing the thin clothes they kept on underneath them and throwing the costumes into the trash as they snuck away. 

And Mad did leave a tip, thank you very much.

“When I said to feed me then bed me, I didn’t mean literally.”

Mad sighed, slapping his forehead with his palm. “We both saw the room at the exact same time, Mare, how could I have known?”

The bed was large, as in, really big. Big enough to hold at least five people. But it was still only one bed. There was a couch but it was obviously the cheap but expensive part of the hotel so that was a no in every way.

“Don’t be such a teenager, it’s just a bed.” Mad sat on one side. “Just stay to your side, not like we haven’t slept in the same bed before.”

Mare clapped his hands together. “Sleep over!” His enthusiasm was sarcastically fake. “I won’t remind you of the last time we had a sleepover.”

“That was all Anti.” Mad remembered that night easily. “And you made it so easy, too.”

“I’m not talking about that one!” Mare’s face gained a splash of red. “I’m talking about the one before.”

“Ugh.” Mad groaned. “I am too tired to listen to you complain about this right now. Either handle this like a grown adult or throw a tantrum like a 4 year old and sleep on the couch.”

It was quiet for a second, and Mad thought he got through, before. “Yes, honey.”

He threw a pillow at him. It evolved into a short pillow fight before Mare found a complimentary bottle of wine and somehow convinced Mad that it wouldn’t be too bad. Room service and a few more bottles later and they had a  _ real _ pillow fight afterwards.

Really, they destroyed one of the pillows. There were feathers  _ everywhere. _

  
  


They woke up to a messy room, surprisingly clear heads (how expensive was that alcohol-) And a want for staying asleep forever. As they woke up more, though, they realized why and it took only moments for them to be up and moving. They had already mentally agreed to forget about everything.

They decided to head out for some coffee, but the clothes they were wearing could easily be considered scandalous and probably not something worn in public usually. Not because it was showy skinwise, but because it was tight and thin and Mare had already gotten an address from the room service guy.

Mad had gotten an address, too, from someone else. Along with some money. He held it up in the main lobby, right after he got it. “Someone's lonely.”

Mare’s laugh had drawn too much attention, somehow more than they were already getting. Note to self, bring extra clothes when going to a queen’s conference. Extra note to self, don’t go to a hotel casino in clothes that can be mistaken for a prostitute. Last note to self, maybe  _ do _ go to a hotel casino in clothes that can be mistaken for a prostitute, if you want extra cash.

After the encounters, they discreetly split up, Mare leaving easily through the front doors and catching a ride to Septics to get changed and ready while Mad took a line from Dark’s book and went through the abandoned subway tunnels. The hotel, actually, was supposed to be a station, so it was pretty easy.

They met back up in a few hours, around 9 o’clock, since they woke up at what seemed to be the crack of dawn. The cafe was a nice little place, quaint and warm where the baristas know you by name. Mad didn’t come often, but he knew Dark did, whenever he had the time to stop and drink.

They sat down, and moments later a barista had come to give them water and take their order; they waited a moment before speaking again. “I do wonder.”

“Course you do.” Mare snorted. “When are you ever not curious?”

Mad hid his smile behind his drink, making sure that his voice was quiet as he spoke. “Anyway, what do you think? I’m positive the Boomer’s queen is male.”

Mare arched an eyebrow, lowering his voice as well. “What makes you think that?”

“Their stature. Their height. You can fake being taller, but you can’t fake being shorter. They’re over six foot, and guys are more likely to be over six feet then girls.”

“That’s a real dainty guy they have there then.” Mare snorted. “You remember that conference a while back, when the cat jumped through the window? That queen wasn’t wearing many layers. They looked female, but they were definitely skinny.”

“A tall, lanky male.” Mad supplied. “Im sure of it. Now, the other two.” He bounced his head back and forth, as if considering two different options. “I think they’re both female.”

This time both his eyebrows rose, straight into his hairline. “Really?” He paused. “Even the Maniac?”

“No matter what they say now, there was definitely a reason why it was a king and queen. And they weren’t talking chess.” Mad leaned forward. “I've been doing some history research. Way before we were established, it was customary for the king to be male and the queen female. Nowadays, it doesn’t really matter, but the Vipers and Maniacs are pretty old school.”

Mare looked unimpressed. “Is that all you have?”

Mad pouted. “You have to start a theory off somewhere.” He muttered. “Just you wait, when they pass away or retire, we’re going to find out I was right.”

Mare hid his smile, but Mad still saw it. “Maybe they’re all zombies.”

Mad frowned. “They’d still have a gender.”

Mare groaned for a moment, before his head tilted, thinking quizzically. “You're probably onto something.” Mare admitted. “But it’ll be hard to tell. They’re girls one day, guys the next.”

“We got it.” Mad was hopeful. Mare, less so.

He grunted. “We’d just be trying to blindly pick out people. We’ve never done that before.”

“But it’s not like we've never seen it before.” He gestured to both of them. “We can use ourselves as guinea pigs.”

The barista came back with the coffee. Mad didn’t wait, taking a gulp almost immediately. He set his coffee down, taking a second to let the scalding drink settle down his throat. Something felt off, and he knew Mare felt it too, and normally it wouldn’t bother him. He didn’t have his gun on him, but he had his comm. If something happened, all he would have to do is relay it through that. 

He had a foreboding feeling that he’d need it.

Catching Mare’s eye, he made a subtle gesture to his pocket. It could easily be taken for a gun, but they didn’t keep guns in pockets. Mare knew he always had a comm with him, so when he nodded and plastered on a fake smile, Mad followed his lead, if only for a second.

“It makes me wonder, though.” Mare continued the conversation, a bit louder than before, like nothing had happened. “What do you think is better? Pancakes or waffles?”

“They’re pretty similar.” Mad said simply, nursing his coffee. A terrible, terrible thought came to mind, and Mad should really just throw it away but he hates not knowing what’s coming. He hated the waiting game when he didn’t know the variables. “What does your boss think?”

Mare raised an eyebrow, actually surprised, before a frown settled on his features. He knew Mad to well, he understood what he was doing. A little sigh escaped his lips. “Who, Anti? I think it’s pancakes.”

There was some shuffling in the cafe, coming from every other table occupied. The baristas had disappeared into the back.

Mad locked eyes with Mare again. At least ten other people were in the cafe, fifteen at most. Mad was unarmed, and he had a feeling Mare was too.

That’s not good.

He sighed, getting up and wiping his hands on his jeans. “Coffee on you?” His tone was full of fake amusement.

Mare did a scoffing laugh, taking some money out of his pocket. He looked for a barista, before shrugging and putting it on the table. “They can keep the change, I guess.”

His eyes flickered to Mad’s pocket. The comm.

“We should catch up more often, old friend.” Mad said, shaking Mare’s hand to give them both a formal appearance. Mare nodded, grinning back as he shakes Mad’s hand. 

His hand retracted back to his pocket. He turned on the comm. “Maybe we could bring the other two with us.”

Mare chuckled. “ _ Has _ to be with them.”

They made their way towards the door in silence, and Mad was tense and he has a feeling everyone and their mother could tell, but the door was so close-

“Excuse me, son.” Someone spoke. “But I’d like to have a word with you two.”

Damnit.

  
  


Dark was supposed to be doing work, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He and Mad were supposed to be going to a meeting with one of the banking firms they held control over,  _ and then _ they’d had to get to Haven’s center for an impromptu all gangs meeting. It was called by Evelyn, which was about as neutral as someone could make all five gang leaders meeting could be- but  _ where was Mad? _

He was worried when he didn’t check in yesterday, but he called over the comm saying he was staying out and he just saw him an hour ago so Where was he-

The door opened, and finally Mad was here, but it wasn’t Mad.

Dark sighed. “Do my men just let you in now?”

Anti grinned, but it was mostly sour. “Your robots don’t give a shite about me walking through.” His nose twitched. “Has Mare been here?”

Dark arched an eyebrow. “No. As far as I know, Mad went over to your place to talk to him.”

“He did.” Anti started. “But then they both left. Thought they came back here.”

Well, Dark had two meetings to go to and the queen of his gang was completely slacking off. He could go to the banking firm without Mad, but showing up to the gang meeting without him would look  _ very _ suspicious.

Making up his mind, he took a comm out of his pocket, keeping Anti’s eyes as he spoke into it. “Mad, do you hear me? I need you back at base for our meeting.”

The comm was silent static for a moment, before there was a loud beep. “ _ You have one new message. _

Both kings looked at the comm in confusion. Dark didn’t even know that that was a thing the comm could do. Eyes narrowed, he pressed the only button on the comm.

There was a moment of static. Then,

_ “Maybe we could bring the other two with us.” _

_ “ _ **_Has_ ** _ to be with them. _ ”

There was a long moment of silence, which Dark shared a glance with Anti. It was Mad and Mare, no doubt about it, and that easily sounded like some kind of code.

The silence ended.  _ “Excuse me, son. But I’d like to have a word with you two.” _

Dark recognized that voice. He’s heard it somewhere before. Where, he had no clue.

_ “I’m sorry, but can we save this for another date?” _ That was Mad.  _ “I have a meeting in ten minutes-“ _

The comm went quiet for voices, but there was a sound, as if something being snapped open.

This time it was Mare. “ _ Oh, hello officer!” _

Anti swore, quiet loudly, and the comm turned to complete static before coming back.

_ “He just called you a queen.” _ That was Mad’s teasing tone, but it was a last ditch effort to not get caught, which obviously did not work in any way.

“ _ Shut up. _ ” Mare murmured, and he already sounded like he gave up on trying to pretend. “ _ What are you doing, the police associating with the Vipers?” _

Anti swore again, quickly this time, though. Dark ignored him, straining his ears to hear the comm.

_ “I don’t need to explain myself to a convic-“ _

The policeman had started talking, but a new voice entered the conversation.  _ “I was forced to join the Vipers!” _ The voice cried, and it was a good impression, but Dark knew just from the tone that the man was lying.  _ “I just want a safe way out of this life, for both me and my little brother. _ ”

It was quiet for a second, before Mad started up again. “ _ Who’s your broth- _ “ he paused, as if something had happened. “ _ What? I am  _ **_not_ ** _ his brother!” _

This time Dark swore. Something about this smelled rancid.

_ “DNA evidence says otherwise.” _ This was the policeman.  _ “Come on, son. Go home with your brother, and get out of this life of crime.” _

_ “Uh, I don’t have to go anywhere with this guy who is  _ **_not_ ** _ my brother.” _

_ “He’s your legal guardian, Matthew. He showed us your papers and your birth certificate. Now, step away from the criminal before I have to arrest you too. _ ”

Dark was so fucking confused. Obviously, the Vipers had forged papers good enough to fake even the police. It didn’t help that Mad had long ago completely deleted himself from every network and database known in Haven. Technically, Mad didn’t exist to society. There were no other files to contradict Viper’s claims.

_ “Legal- you  _ **_think_ ** _ I’m a minor? I’m fucking twenty!” _ Mad was getting… well, mad now. There was some murmuring, as well as some shouting. The comm did a sharp sound of static, before turning off.

Anti spoke before the silence suffocated them. “You’ll have to go to the bank meeting by yourself, Dark.”

The shadows seemed to move. And Dark, for whatever reason, responded. “Can’t bring a kid to a bank firm either way.”

He, was,  _ pissed. _

  
  


Haven’s center was a rundown building that was quarantined harder than the outside world, a ragged shack that looked like it could be the side role and star of a horror movie. In reality, underneath it was a nice if not cozy meeting room for the gang leaders. It was a don’t judge a book by it’s cover story if there ever was one.

Anti and Dark went there together. Dark called off his earlier meeting in favor of scouring the internet for a news article or a blog or  _ something _ that dug up or saw  _ anything  _ on the police’s new prisoner. So far, nothing came up.

They would’ve never even known. Thank god for Mad’s comm.

Anti entered first, and inside waiting for them were the six other gang leaders, both king and queens. The queens all wore masks, as customary for these gatherings, like the queen’s conference, or anywhere, really. It was supposed to be symbolic, showing that the kings had enough pride to show their face because they still hid their strongest piece. Because of it, the only face of a Queen well known in the underground was Mare, because he just didn’t care. But even he wore a mask on these occasions.

Except for when he’s in jail.

Anti suppressed a growl.

“Septic King.” What he suspected the Boomer Queen said, and each masked person lowered their head slightly in a bowing motion. “If I may ask, where is your queen?”

They always kept with formalities. They kept watch on this place, but it could always become bugged. Giving out names was not the way to go here.

But Anti wasn’t in the mood. “Jail.” He growled, and he watched the surprise pop up on all of their faces. Around him, the air seemed to turn static. “They were caught at a cafe earlier today.  _ Somebody  _ tipped the police off.”

He was glaring at the Vipers, so that they knew how bad of their idea was (granted, without the comm it was a great idea, but he wouldn’t give them that). The Maniac queen tilted their masked head. “I assume you have a guess as to who that was?”

Anti crosses his arms. He didn’t bring any guns, as that was strictly forbidden. They all had guards upstairs, from each gang, that checked them as they went through, and bringing a weapon inside was punishable with, again, the death of family members. Even with no weapons, though, Anti was positive that he could take them all at once. “Certainly.” He said. “But I’ll let the Shadows’ king answer for me.”

He so wanted to spill blood, but this was neutral territory and he found Dark’s anger both invigorating and terrifying at the same time.

Dark took that moment to almost slam the door open. Looking like the literal spawn of a well dressed handsome satan, Anti watched as he calmly but furiously walked out to the middle table, pressing his fingers to it. That was usually a cue to get started, but no one else moved. Behind him, a figure covered in robes stalked out, body tense and threatening even under layers of clothes. The eyeless pierced through everyone’s souls.

“You have thirty minutes after this meeting is over.” Dark started, blazing daggers into the Vipers king’s head. Karlson looked quite taken aback, and Anti could see some terror hidden in his eyes. “We meet at the park bordering your territory and the Boomer’s. Don’t be late, and he better be with you.”

His tone bore no argument, and Karlson looked quite upset, face slowly turning red. The air behind the Shadow king seemed to be getting darker. The shadows against the wall shifted.

The Boomer Queen coughed to gain attention. This was a weird starting to a meeting- it was customary for the kings to barely speak at all, and for the queens to do all of the negotiations, since they were usually more compliant. “I ask for you to either speak about this another time, or to explain this situation, so the rest of us on the outside of this can understand.”

Dark’s nose twitched, before he sighed, pressing his fingers harder into the table. “Some of our important operatives have disappeared today as well. Our queen and the Septic’s Queen were together, discussing a new law firm building on our territories with a few of our operatives to keep watch-“ That was bull, Anti knew, but they didn’t need to know what they were really talking about. “-when the police showed up. Luckily, I have a voice recording of the incident, since our queen was smart enough to think to record.”

He was staring at Karlson too, and everyone knows who did it, and Anti could feel the tension, he could cut it with a knife if he had one. Everyone knew of the attempt on their lives, and everyone had a guess with who did it. If there was one thing for sure, Anti knew that there were two sides, and who was on them. That left, ironically, only the weapon dealers in the middle.

The Maniac queen took a different approach. “It is not customary for you to speak here.” Her mask turned to the Shadow queen. “Why is your queen so quiet today?”

She expected a slip up, as did the Viper queen. They wanted something they could use to signify that they actually caught the Shadow queen. Well, Dark’s Queen didn’t miss a beat. “If I were to fully enter this conversation, I would forget the rules of this place.” They hissed. “So, for the sake of everyone, I will stay quiet.  _ Do not tempt me.” _

Anti expected Evelyn to get involved -it was obviously breaking the rules- but she just stood back and watched with a curious eye. Her queen had stepped fully back, the sign that they weren’t participating either.

“ _ Someone. _ ” Dark spat, taking a page from Anti’s book. “Forged fake documents of one of our operatives, using his young age to make him look like a teenager being forced into this. My queen, clear in the recording, told us who.” He looked down for a second, as if calming himself. But when he looked up, his eyes held a fire in them. “So, Vipers, where is he?”

Anti noticed with slight respect how Dark was able to structure his pronouns, making it seem like the queen of the Shadows and Mad are a different person entirely, keeping who Mad was a secret while also being righteously pissed. Having another queen here was helpful as well.

Evelyn sighed quietly, as if she were afraid of this. She was definitely keeping the Boomers out of this fight. Anti could tell by the way she and her queen backed up, her queen moving to cover her a little more.

“What are you saying?” Karlson spoke for the first time. “That we tipped off the cops and kidnapped your queen? That’s quite the assumption!”

_ “I’m right here.” _ The Shadow queen spoke, mechanical voice deep and rough and  _ terrifying. _ “And I’m  _ quite _ aware of what your plan was.  _ You should be thrown out for your crimes.” _

The Viper queen tilted their masked head at the other covered queen, who stared right back at them, as if daring them to protest or retort.

“I said.” Dark almost growled, still staring at Valentine. “That one of my top operatives are missing and my queen said that it was  _ you. _ Until he is back with the Shadows, this meeting will not continue!”

He turned in a flair, striding out of the room in barely contained anger. His queen glance slowly around the entire room, coiled like a spring, before following him out.

Anti waited a moment before whistling. “That's two types of kings, right there.”

The Maniac queen tilted their head again. “Two types, King?”

“Yep.” Anti nodded. “The type that you know is about to kill you, and the type you don’t know. With shadow’s king so loud when it comes to anger, I wonder why they like assassinations, and not outright killing.” Anti laughed, something harsh and mean, before glaring at the Vipers. “Two types of people… maybe he and I should’ve switched jobs.” He turned as well, leaving the room before turning back. “Once my queen is back, we’ll have our own words. Now, don’t leave them waiting! I wouldn’t!”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even in captivity he still manages to fuck somebody up.

Mad had never been  _ this _ done with his life. He took a second to spit blood out of his mouth before repeating his answer. "I don't know."

It earned him another punch in the gut. Like before, he made no sound. It got easier as time passed, espeically because he was starting to go fuzzy around the edges of his vision. His body was going numb too, either for the same reason or because the way they had him tied up cut off blood flow.

The man in front of him seemed to snarl. They'd been at this for awhile now, first trying to get him to admit to being a queen, now just asking seemingly random questions, questions Mad continuingly said 'I don't know' to. That's what caused him most of his injuries, including his bruised stomach, back, and face. 

They seemed to hit harder after he killed one of them, though.  _ Maybe they should've tied his legs as well, then. _

When they seemed ready to give up, another man finally appeared. Karlson. "You're not making this easy for yourself, are you?"

A random person wouldn't know who Karlson was, but Mad's had several conversations with the man, and has decent knowledge on him. The man was a scientist, first and foremost, maybe even moreso then Mad himself. He loved taking things apart to find out how they ticked. "Who are you?"

It worried him when the man stepped forward and grabbed his jaw, moving his face around while he studied it. "These cuts already show signs of healing." He murmured. "And your bruises are forming quicker as well. An increased healing factor- do you know who normally has those?"

Maybe it was the pain, but Mad was lost in this situation, so he just answered, "I don't know."

"Immunes." Karlson said casually, and Mad couldn't stop a flinch. "Or it could be their blood. Have you had any reason for a blood transfusion of late?"

"No." Mad said, and realized his mistake moments after saying it. The first time he actually answered the question, and he answered to quickly. He might be telling the truth, but it was easy to see that he knew more.

But what did Karlson mean by his increased healing? He's not an immune.

Karlson looked him over again. "So young." He murmured. "Too young to be a queen. But you do fit the time range…"

"What are you talking abo-" He got cut off by another punch to the gut, this time unprepared. He started hacking.

Karlson waved at his men to stop. "Years ago, we lost some people with incredible potential. I'm just trying to see if you were one of them."

"And if I am?" Mad said after he got his breathing under control. "It doesn't matter, you can't hold me here for that long- Shadows don't leave their men in danger, if they can help it."

"They may not." Karlson agreed. "And you are the queen-" Mad didn't bother denying this time. "-so of course they'll come for you. But will they keep you if you're too broken?"

"You can't break me." And Mad was sure of it. With time, they could, but they didn't have enough of that.

Karlson looked past him and nodded once. Someone behind him grabbed his arm, pulling it in a discomfortable way. "You don't have to break a person, to break the bond of a gang."

Something _ agonizingly hot _ touched Mad's skin and his vision went white for a few seconds. His hearing had turned to ringing, but he's pretty sure he screamed. He did hear a few things fall to the floor, though. It was over in a second, but it felt like an hour had passed before he was able to open his eyes.

"Fascinating." Karlson said for some reason. "Will they want a queen who has the insignia of another?"

Over Mad's shadow tattoo, sat a brand. A curled up Viper, already coiled up and ready to strike. Behind it, the black tattoo gave the Viper a background. The corners were a bit squished from his struggling, and the burn was already starting to blister, and his arm was _ completely unusable, _ there was no way. For a second, Mad wanted to cry, but then he remembered where he was. He still couldn't help the whimper. "Unlike... you guys, the Shadows wouldn't... get rid of me… because of... what  _ you _ did."

"Your youthfulness makes you naive." Karlson said. "I didn't do that to turn them against you."

Mad frowned, the pain to much to understand what he meant. Karlson didn't wait for an answer, continuing on. "While I have reasons to believe that you are one of these potential people, I also have reasons to believe that you know other people as well. Immunes."

Mad didn't show any surprise this time, more because it would hurt then anything else. "Earlier... you were... saying... I was immune. What... changed that?"

"I never said you were an immune. I said you could be someone with incredible potential." Karlson said. "And once Valentine gets here, we can truly see."

Mad's heart almost stopped. He couldn't deal with one of them, most certainly not two. "I won't be here... that long."

Karlson couldn't answer, as the door opened and someone who could only be the Viper queen walked through. They were obviously covered, but not completely ready. "Here's the substance you wanted." They gave it to Karlson, who leaned down to whisper something in their ear, hand on waist. Mad suddenly realized two things.

The queen was definitely a female. No cover manipulator and the cover showed. And the two of them were definitely more than just professional work buddies. Karlson's arm around her waist and her leaning into it showed otherwise. And Mad didn't think they were putting on a show for him.

They pulled away, and the queen spoke. "We need to leave soon, for the meeting."

"Right after this." Karlson promised. "I'm excited to see the results." Mad realized that Karlson treated those around him like lab rats, like they weren't real people. And now he was looking at him in the same way. "And when we go to the meeting to see the Shadow queen gone, we can tell you to stop lying."

Mad glared. He doubted that Dark would go to the meeting without taking someone else dressed as him in. Most likely Jason. But at the moment, his attention was taken to the needle from before with some kind of pink fluid in it. Karlson gave it to the man who kept hitting him, which was a bad idea. While these are special times, hurting the king was still against all rules. A random lackey? No problem.

Mad grabbed onto one of his chains with a good hand to keep stable before pulling himself up with it and kicking the guy right in the neck, hopefully breaking something. He hoped the guy was at least paralysized, maybe even dead from that. Wasn't his strongest thing, but it still gave him a lot of comfort to see the man crash into the wall, cracking his head before slumping to the floor.

More pain. Someone had hit his back again with the baseball bat. That one caused his legs to go numb. Not good.

It was quiet for a moment. "That was unnecessary." Karlson didn't look upset, instead watching him with an interested spark in his eye.

"I don't do drugs." Mad decided to say, judging if he could stretch his feet out to stomp the needle. They were on a time crunch, maybe they would wait until after the meeting if he did so. They didn't know that Dark and Anti knows where he is. It would hurt and he didn't even know if his legs worked properly but he had to try.

Unluckily, the queen stepped forward and took it before he could do anything, grabbing his jaw in the same way before injecting it into his neck. Mad didn't feel the difference, but he did feel tired. 

The queen stepped back before looking at him. "He's skinny." She said. "The dosage you order was to high."

She sounded… worried. That worried him, but he was getting to drowsy to care. Karlson shook his head. "If my theory is right, he has a faster metabolism than most."

Mad's vision went black, and his conciousness failed him.

  
  


He woke up to a bucket of freezing water being splashed on him. He yelped, shivering immediately, before almost screaming.

Karlson stood in front of him, but there was something else behind him, a big black mass of  _ something, _ squirming around in a ball. The thing has claws and eyes and teeth though, which didn't leave Mad's face. It was something out of his nightmares. "W-what-"

"It's a type of serum we made for interrogations like these." Karlson explained. "I do so wonder what you see. Answer truthfully."

For some reason, that's all Mad wanted to do. He really just wanted that thing to _ stay away. _ "It's like a shadow." He admitted.

Karlson seemed surprised, before chuckling. "You are worried." He hummed. "Now, what do you know about immunes?"

Even though he wanted to tell him everything, his instincts spoke first. "Nothing."

The  _ thing _ behind him launched forward, claws diving into his chest. He gasped in pain, clenching his jaw not to scream. Red hot pain ran through his body, cutting him up as if he just swallowed rusty nails. They seemed to tear out his organs as the thing moved backwards.

But there was no blood. No cuts. Nothing.

It was a... hallucination?

"Unpleasant, yes?" Karlson asked, and when Mad's response was a pained whine he chuckled. "I wouldn't lie if I were you. We've only got a couple more minutes together, though, so tell me." He stepped closer. "Who do you know that's immune?"

  
  


Dark was waiting for exactly 5 minutes and 43 seconds before the car appeared. He himself was leaning back on his own car (it belonged to the gang but potato potahto). He was tapping a gun with his right hand, twirling another one with his left. Jason, who had dressed up as the Shadow’s queen, had gone home on Dark’s orders.

He was still pissed.

It wasn’t just the fact that Mad’s his friend, it’s also that it’s a direct attack on his gang, and therefore an attack on  _ him. _ He’s spent years making sure his reputation stopped people from doing that. He didn’t know if the Vipers were just cocky or stupid. Both, probably.

He wasnt stupid, either. He had his own bulletproof armor under his suit, and, unlike the other Kings (except Anti) he knew how to  _ really  _ use a gun.

The queen was with them, along with two others. The queen watched him as the two grabbed someone from the back, dragging him forward and throwing him on the ground.

“Here’s your ‘operative’.” The queen said, and her stance was rigid, as if something wasn't right with this.

Which it wasn't, but Dark didn't think she cared too much about it.

“I should kill you right now.”

The queen shook their head. “Because we took an operative? You risk war for a lowly member?” 

Mad was slowly getting up, using only one arm to get onto his knees. Dark narrowed his eyes at the Vipers, before kneeling down. “How are you?” He held out a hand to help him.

Mad took the hand before looking up. He flinched, letting go and looking down, scared.

He  _ flinched. _

Two muffled gunshots rang out, and the two men the queen brought crumpled to the ground, fresh corpses. Dark barely recognized that he did it, holstering his gun before holding out another hand to Mad.

The queen didn’t seem surprised either. “Sorry it has to be this way."

Dark grunted, pissed off. "Fuck you."

The queen didn't respond, instead taking out her own gun. Dark immediately turned his barrel to them, but the queen just pointed at one of the dead men, pulling the trigger. The guy the queen shot was groaning, and not in a human way. "See you next meeting." The queen said, before getting in the car and driving off.

Mad watched them go, still on the ground. He accepted the hand. “Thank you.”

“You're the one who used the comm.” Dark responded, helping him up. He scanned the other man, seeing his posture. He was damp, too. “How bad?”

“Hit... my spine.” Mad took a shaky step forward before Dark needed to catch him. The pained sound Dark heard set off a new fury in his stomach. “I should heal.”

“What else?” Dark started to support him, helping him towards the car. Mad seemed very against being so close, which did not make Dark feel any better, but Mad allowed it well enough.

“Some drug.” He murmured. “Kinda like... a truth serum, but ten times worse.” Dark helped him into the passenger side before going to his own side. He checked the dead men one more time to make sure they didn't turn before getting in the car. “Can we head... to the docks?”

Dark didn’t ask, only nodding as he started up the car. Mad's speech was slow and slurred and he was worried the man had a concussion along with everything else. “What did you tell them?”

“Nothing at the beginning.” He said. “Not much after either, but I fucked up- the drug makes you... hallucinate a monster- when you lie your brain… it stimulates pain or something. It’s like getting hit with a grenade... and surviving.”

Dark looked around the area as he drove, pretending not to hear the whimper Mad emttied when he shifted in his seat. “Can you still see it?”

Mad didn’t look at him, staring at the dashboard. “It’s a shadow. There’s one on everyone.” He looked at him. “There’s one on you.”

Mad couldn’t lie. Dark didn’t know for how long, but it was obvious that whatever he saw was scaring him.

Mad blinked, before banging his hands on the dashboard, grabbing and yanking his hair a moment later. “I really fucked up, Dark. They- they asked about immunes. They know that I know one… they know my brother is one!”

Dark almost pulled over.

“It’s-its fine.” It wasn’t, but Mad was having some sort of breakdown and Dark needed to stop himself from hurting himself more then he already was. “We’ll deal with it.” Mad didn’t calm down. “Calm down or we’re going back to the base.”

That got to him, and he shakenly let go of his hair. “How’s- How’s Mare?”

“Still in jail.” Dark said. “Anti’s dealing with that right now. Do you want to go help him?”

“No!” Mad looked more then crazy. “They’re going to hate me- they’re going to figure out- they’re going to find Mark and Jack and Nate and-“ he paused, freezing. His eyes went wide in fear. He sunk farther into the seat. “The shadow's-“

“Not real.” Dark said firmly, covering his own worry. He hadn’t been gone long, but Mad was so utterly messed up. He needed the drug out of his system. “And it can’t hurt you as long as you don’t lie. What else happened? How hurt are you?”

Dark could tell that the other man was about to lie, but he stopped himself. “Internal bruising, maybe.” He admitted. “Rubbed my wrists raw from killing-“ he looked at his wrists, which were red but nothing to serious. “Could’ve sworn I got out that way- anyway, dumped me in freezing water and left me there, so I’m fucking cold. A burn. Well, more of a brand but still a-“

This time Dark did pull over. “What?” His voice was soft, but it was hard and deadly at the same time.

Mad frowned, wincing as he turned his arm. His tattoo was as it had always been, but now a large burn covered it. It was a brand, a snake curled up into a circle. The burn obviously was done sloppily, as the edges weren’t clean, rather smudged in some parts. The water didn’t help either, and the brand now looked slightly mushy, which Dark didn’t think a burn should look like.

“I should’ve killed the queen too.” Dark growled.

“Wait a secon-“

“Mad!” Dark cut him off. “This… they’re disgracing you. Not only that, but they believe that you’re the queen. They tried -and succeeded- in branding another gang’s queen with their own icon.”

“I know!” Mad replied. “I was there! And it fuckin’ hurt! They had a literal metal brand!”

Dark growled again, getting back onto the road, but turning around. “How’s the shadow?”

“Fading.” Mad said after a second. “Taking us back?”

“You need to get that treated.” Dark replied. “It already looks infected. Do you remember who exactly did it?”

“Yeah.” Mad confirmed. “I already killed him.”

Dark glanced over in a silent question. “They made it to easy!” Mad protested. “They had me dangling from my arms in the middle of a room! Didn’t tie my feet or anything, and there was enough slack for me. Gotta do what you gotta do.”

“You’re on medical probation.”

“What?” Mad said, sounding almost appalled. “Are you... grounding me?”

“Well, you are a minor.” Dark let it slip before he could stop it. “And it’s not like you’ll be moving much either way. I don’t want you walking around until the doctor says you're good,”

“I’m one of the Shadows' doctors.” Mad protested. “And I say that I don’t need to be on medical leave.”

“And I’m the king.” Dark retorted, “don’t make me make it longer then it already is. Now, we got a hour or so. Get some rest.”

And Mad did.

He was out in what seemed like seconds, and Dark drove quietly, leaving the music off. He took a second to think before digging through his pocket for another comm he had found. Comms were hard to find, but he thought this was worth it. Since it was a different one then the one he had with Mad, he had to turn it on and wait.

“ _ You have great timing. _ ” 

“Thanks.” Dark said, before listening to the background. “How’s your plan going?”

“ _ Well _ .” Anti said. “ _ ‘Who knew a prison full of baseball wielding pissed off prisoners could be so fun?” _ He paused. _ “You got Mad? _ ” 

Dark glanced over to his passenger. “Yeah.” He said. “Our problems are getting worse and worse.”

“ _ Wait a mo.” _ Dark waited as someone screamed on the other side. There were a few thumps, a bit of silence, and then the gunshots were far off. “ _ And we’re out. _ ”

“ _ You have Mad? _ ” Came through Mare’s worried voice. “ _ Is he okay? _ ”

“Sleeping off some strong drug right now.” He replied. “He’s going to be out of commission for a while- he can barely even walk right now.”

“ _ What they do?! _ ” It was Mare again, sounding just as angry as he felt.

“To much for my liking.” Dark grumbled. “They hit his spine with something. He’s not paralyzed or anything, but it’s done something to his legs. Says he’s got some internal bruising and he-“ Dark trailed off.

“ _ Dark, What? _ ” This was Anti, voice stern and hard and slightly out of breath. “ _ We’ll see later, so tell us now. _ ”

“They-“ Dark literally could not speak- he was somehow getting  _ more _ upset. “They- they fuckin’  _ branded _ him! Right over the Shadow’s tattoo.”

“ _ What?! _ ” Mare screeched.

“ _ I am going to kill all of them. _ ”

It may have been years since they had all been regular people, but one thing would never change. They had been friends before they had been gang members. And that would never change.

“Get in line.” Dark replied. “I have dibs on their queen.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past is telling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorite chapters by far...

The four year old frowned as he looked at his packed lunch. His parents didn’t pack him a cookie.

He looked over at someone else’s lunch. They had a cookie. He wanted it.

Dark got up, sneaking over to the food. He had just made it when someone else spoke. “Whatcha doin’ wit me food?”

Dark turned around to face the other child. “I want your cookie.” He announced.

“Well.” The other kid said. “You can’t have it.”

“I’ll fight you for it.” Dark declared.

“Okay!”

Long story short, they got put in time out. By the time they were out, they realized that two other kids ate the cookie while they were fighting.

Anti and Dark had been friends ever since.

  
  


“Why’s the sky blue?”

The other kid shrugged. “Cause of light rays and eyes and stuff.”

Anti squished his nose. ‘What’s eyes gotta do with color?”

“Cause we see color with our eyes.” Dark grumbled. “Stupid.”

The group of four were paired together for some type of project that they were all slacking on. The six year olds were the epitome of lazy.

“But why’s it blue?” The kid asked again. “And not orange, or red or something?”

“A red sky?” Dark asked.

“Red like blood!” Anti giggled.

Mad, though, rolled his eyes. “Cause of the light rays! The sky absorbs colors and stuff! It’s all colors but blue, so we can see it.”

Mare frowned. “So the sky kidnaps the other colors? Is blue gonna rescue them?”

“They’re colors.” Mad deadpanned.

“Let’s go rescue them!” Anti cheered, and he and Mare ran off, jumping into the sky. 

Dark glanced at Mad. “They’re gonna get in trouble.”

“I think we have to stop them.” Mad guessed. “They’re gonna get us all in trouble.”

They’ve all been best friends since then.

  
  


Anti spun a pencil on his finger, listening into the conversations around him. They were all talking about a mass shooting from the Maniac gang. Twenty had died, and fifty-four had been wounded.

He was worried. The others weren’t there.

The eight year old breathed a sigh of relief when they all walked in at the same time. “Where have you been?”

“Ms. Dewey made muffins.” Mare explained. “But she was watching them so we had to wait before we could grab some.”

Dark handed an extra one to Anti, who took a bite out of the still warm blueberry muffin. “Good as always.”

“Yep.” Anti said. “Did’ya hear about that shooting in the south part of the city?”

“Yeah.” Mad said. “That happens all the time in the south part of Haven. The police think they’ve mapped out where the Maniac’s territory is.”

Anti squinted his eyes. “How do you know so much about everything?”

Mad smiled something smug. “I have my ways.”

“And yet you still don’t do our homework for us.” Mare pointed out.

“Cause that’s yours to do.” Mad retorted. “I’m not writing it for you. Copy if you want.”

Mare cheered at the small win.

“If you actually read my notes.” Mad continued. “You’d all pass easy.”

And that’s how they all passed their classes.

Mare was nine when he got golden girl Kira to come sit with him and his friends at lunch. Being the troublemakers they are, it was a surprise to everyone, even the troublemakers themselves.

“I’m not sitting here for you.” She assured. “I like Mare. He’s different.” She held his hand.

“Ew.” Anti wrinkled his nose. “Cooties.”

Mare agreed but didn’t let go. Dark had dared him to get her to come over. And he had. He doesn’t know how he had. At first she treated him like he was dirt under her feet but after a conversation she had completely changed her way. Mare didn’t know exactly what happened, but he knows that he felt a bit of attraction from her to him inside her. He had somehow just made it bigger. He didn’t like it, but it made him feel… better, stronger.

“Look at you two.” One of their teachers coo’d as she passed. “I never expected this from you, Kira.”

She flushed. “I like him. He’s nice and not as nasty as Tommy.”

“No one is as nasty as Tommy.” Mad retorted.

“That’s an insult to Mare.” Anti added in.

“Tommy’s an insult to all boys.” Dark finished.

The teacher ignored the others’ comments. She looked at Mare. “Well, I never knew you were quite the charmer.”

Charmer. Charm. Mare liked that. Whatever he did was like charming someone, right? He’s seen it in some more mature books. A dashing fellow charming a princess. He can charm too.

The next day Kira didn’t come over but she was overall much nicer to them. When they were all older Kira’s childhood face flushing turned into actual blushing, but Mare never noticed.

That’s how Mare discovered that he wasn’t all that normal.

  
  


“This doesn’t seem very stable.”

“I know, right?” Anti asked. “For a big fat wall, it’s kinda crumbly.”

“A rock just fell on a zombie’s head.” Dark informed.

The eleven year olds were on a field trip, and were standing on top of the wall that protected them from the zombies outside of Haven. They could see zombies on the other side, and their teacher was just now starting to see the mistake in bringing them here.

“Away from the edge.” Their teacher said, even though there was a good amount of wall stopping them from falling off.

“But I can’t see the rocks falling on the zombies from here. This trip sucks!” Dark complained, and shadows crept from the walls.

Anti looked around, spotting the teacher and one of the guards talking, distracted. He picked up a rock from the ground. “Let’s fix that.”

And that’s how they killed their first zombie.

  
  


“They’re boring.”

“They’re one.” Mad replied in monotone.

Mare pouted. “Still! They’re not even crying or anything.”

Dark tilted his head at the other thirteen year old. “Do you want them to cry?”

Anti shrugged. “It’d give us something to do at least.”

The boys all looked down at the four baby carriers. When they heard they were getting siblings, they thought they’d be a lot more like them. You know, rowdy and rebellious. Fun.

“Were we ever like this?” Mare asked with a frown.

“I guess.” Mad shrugged. “I can’t remember it, though.”

“We all don’t remember stuff.” Dark said. “I don’t remember how we met.”

They’re memory didn’t stretch that far anymore. They had been friends for longer than they can remember.

“I dunno why.” Anti spoke. “Why are we friends?”

“Cause the teachers don’t like us?” Mare shrugged.

“Our parents are friends.” Mad supplied.

“It’s because we like each other.” Dark said. “And everyone else is annoying.”

“Like Tommy.” Mare joined in. “Tommy picks his nose and throws it at Fay.”

“Yeah.” Anti was only half paying attention, since his little brother has just woken up and was now grabbing at his fingers. “He’s a prick.”

It was silent for a bit as they all watched the baby.

“Maybe they aren’t boring.” Mare said, poking the baby in the stomach. He laughed and babbled something, before blowing a raspberry.

“Not as boring, at least.” Mad continued. The other babies were starting to wake. “When they aren’t sleeping.”

“You’re boring when you're sleeping.” Dark pointed out.

“You’re the one who put sleep medicine in my drink!” Mad hissed. He hadn’t had a sleepover with just Dark ever since.

Dark’s brother giggled.

And that’s how they started to realize that they’d do anything for their brothers.

  
  
  


“You could kill someone doing that.”

Mad shrugged, looking at the other fourteen year olds. He was sweating badly, a towel wrapped around his neck. He swallowed some water before answering Anti. “That’s why I was alone out there.”

“What?!” Mare bounces up out of nowhere. “I was out there too!”

He looked a lot like Mad, but less sweaty. They had just performed a play, and since Mad was a theater nerd, he had auditioned for -and got- the lead role, and pulled Mare into it. The last scene was a fighting scene, with a lot of dramatic moves and poses. Not to mention some of the things they had to do- most people weren’t flexible enough to do half of it.

They started doing gymnastics just for that single scene. Dark had to compliment their commitment. “Who taught you how to fight like that? It couldn’t of been faked.”

“We found a guy who used to be with the Boomers.” Mad whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening. “He use to be their queen before he retired.”

“What!” Anti had no quarrel with being loud. “You're hanging out with an ex queen!?”

“Shut up!” Mare hissed. “There could be others here- and we don’t wanna give him any troubles!”

Anti huffed, but Dark leaned forward. “Do you think he could teach us some stuff too?”

Mad tilted his head in thought before answering. “I’d have to ask him.”

And that’s how they learned how to fight.

  
  


The old Boomer queen sighed for a moment before barking out “stop! Just.. stop.”

He was looking at Anti with a tilted frown. The sixteen year old’s fighting style was very aggressive and very outdated, and very rude, all honesty. Dark’s fighting was graceful and smooth, Mare’s most of the same but with a bit more flexibility, Mad doesn’t care about being graceful, but his agility and flexibility were almost on their own level. Anti, though, was brash and jerky, aggressive. When he fights he instinctively aimed for dirty spots most never go for. He had just stopped the boy from hitting Dark straight in the nuts, and he could tell the hit would land.

“What?” Anti asked, obviously confused. “What’d I do?”

Dark, who realized what he was about to do, kept him mouth firmly shut and his hand subtly over his crotch to protect it. Mad snickered from where he and Mare were sparing.

“You can’t spar like that with your friends.” He said. “You’ll get them hurt.”

“I can take it.” Dark said, hand still protecting his crotch, and the old queen gave him a look.

“Doesn’t matter if you can.” He said. “From now on, you’ll spar with me.”

Anti really didn’t want to, he never won and almost only ever made a fool of himself. “Do I have to?”

“Yes.” He said, because it really was dangerous for him to keep sparring with his friends. “Don’t argue with me on this.”

Anti did the exact opposite. “But I’m fine! We’re sparring, someone’s bound to get hurt, and I’d never really hurt my friends.”

“Anti.” The ex queen glared.

“But-“

“No buts!” He finally snapped. “And no more sparring for you today. Dark, go join Mad and Mare, make it a one versus all between you three. Anti, go practice on the dummies.”

Anti hates the dummies. They haven’t used them for a whole year, and it was boring and useless. Grumbling, he stomped up to the fighting dummy, letting his anger race through him he punched the dummy in the face.

The dummy snapped backwards, it’s head flying off it’s shoulders and into the wall behind it. The radio went static for a moment before going back to it’s tunes.

And that’s how they learned that they were stronger than the average man.

  
  
  


Tommy’s face had just finished being wrapped by the time the others showed up.

“This is an outrage!” Mare cried out to the principal, who winced at his pitch. “What makes you think Anti did it?”

The principal was an okay man, someone who was found outside of Haven and decided to become a teacher afterwards. He worked his way up to the principal, and no one held any kind of malice towards him. He was the kind of person that you never really had emotion towards because you just forgot about him.

“Tommy said that you started a fight with him.” The principal looked over at the other teen.

“I didn’t.” Anti lied, and the seventeen year old gestured to himself. “Do I look like I was just in a fight?”

There wasn’t a scratch on him, Courtesy of the training they’ve had for three years straight. And Tommy did deserve it, it was a football game and he was picking on Anti’s five year old brother and his friends. And who picks on someone twelve years their junior?

In fact, Jack was with him now, sitting on his shoulders and face buried into Anti’s hair, listening but not watching. The other three were around their respective brother’s legs, silent.

It didn’t last long.

Mark looked up, eyes somewhat dull as he spoke. “You miss them, don’t you?”

Strangely, Nate followed. “All of your friends. The Survivors. They didn’t survive. They turned.”

And then Mat looked up. “You're the last one left.”

Tommy and the nurse weren’t listening, but the principal had gone pale. He shook slightly for a moment, before calming himself and slowly looking up at Jack, who still wasn’t watching. “Did your brother hit Tom?”

No one understood why he didn’t ask questions.

Jack finally looked up, a grin so sly that you knew he knew something no one else did. “No! He was walkin with me the whole time! Ma wouldn’t let him leave me.”

And that’s how they figured out that their brothers weren’t all they seemed.

  
  


“No, mom, they’re not play dates! We’re 17!”

“I’ll call them play dates if I want to!”

“We’re almost adults, mom, you have to stop calling them that!”

“Ill start treating you like an adult when you start paying these bills Mare!”

He grinned. “Play date it is!” Before closing his door.

Mad was already setting up their project. “If we actually work on it, we should be done by ten.”

Mare plopped down on the bed. “Well, since we know that’s not happening, why don’t you stay the night and we’ll work on it in the morning.”

“What, thirty minutes before it’s due at school?” Mad asked, fiddling with a diagram. “I’d like to get a good grade on this.”

Mare groaned. “But there’s nothing left for me to do on this but write down the labels!” He was whining.

“And you wonder why your mother treats you like a five year old.”

“Wrong.” He huffed. “She treats Nate with more respect than she does me.”

“That’s just sad for multiple reasons.” Mad laughed, still working on the project. Mare laid on his bed, looking at the ceiling. “If you’re that bored, you can finally tell me about that ‘secret power’ you claim to have.”

“Oh yeah!” Mare almost fell off the bed scrambling up. “Dude, it’s so cool. It’s like this, weird feeling I get from people. I call it charming someone.”

Mad finally stopped fiddling with the project. “What?”

“Ok, so-“ Mare sat up, holding his hands out. “I can kinda feel people’s emotions, but only when it’s towards me and when it’s interest. I can basically tell when people have an interest in me. When they do, I can make that feeling stronger in them. I call it charm.”

“Wait.” Mad turned around, climbing on and sitting at the foot of the bed. “You can make people like you. Isn’t that, like, forcing something?”

“Don’t think so.” Mare frowned. “I can up their interest, but I can’t do anything else, I can't make interest where there is none. If I upped someone’s interest in me, it’s still them deciding to kiss me, I’m not making them. And it’s interest, not arousal or something like that. I get different reactions from different people.”

“But I’m guessing most reactions are somehow sexual.” Mad asked with a grin.

“Of course.” Mare grinned back. “I mean, look at me. I think of the charm like a first impression, kind of. It gives people the best first impression they can have of me. It also helps me on tests. The more interest, the more people just want to help. I ask a question, they’ll most likely always answer, no matter how they react to me.”

Mad hummed. “Interesting.” He murmured. “Do you do that to all your girlfriends?”

Mare looked up at the ceiling in thought. “I did it once to Kira in elementary. Besides that, no. As I said before, I don’t need to. I mean, look at me.”

“Yes yes, your physique is something to behold, now shut up about it.” Mad waved him away, back to working on the project. “Do the people you charm act different in any other way? Does your charm change anything else about them?”

“As far as I know, no.” Mare frowned. “As for if they act differently, I don’t know. I usually don’t charm people that I see a lot or that ore close to me. I don’t know before  _ and _ after.”

Mad pursed his lips before an idea came to him. He put the project on the desk. “Try it out on me.”

Mare froze, shocked. “What?”

“Try it out on me.” Mad reiterated. “Try the charm, up my interest, make me fall in love, whatever you call it. I want to experience it. Call it an experiment, if you will.”

“One on yourself.” Mare said, speaking clearly so that he could hear how stupid Mare thought he sounded.

“Yes.” Mad nodded, ignorant of Mare’s thoughts. “I’m the best lab rat I have. Now, come on, do it.”

“Are you sure?” Of course Mare wanted to. Nowadays, he wants to charm everyone he meets. If Mad knew this he’d probably say his power is addictive. It was just… thrilling. Still, he didn’t want to sound overeager. This is the first time he’s trying it on a close friend.

Mad rolled his eyes. “You said it reacts differently to everyone and that even though it raises my interest I have to make the decision of what I’ll do. Well, I’m already interested from the scientific standpoint, so what’s the problem?”

Mare had a feeling that this wasn’t going to go the way he wanted. But hey, he’ll go along with it. And he’ll tease Mad later about whatever he decides to do, when it wears off a little. “Okay, but I warned you.”

“Tease me later if I make a fool out of myself.” Mad waved his words away, mind completely focused on Mare’s charm. That was one thing endearing and infuriating about his friend.

Mare inhaled before looking up. Mad’s interest was much bigger to begin with then others, but they were also friends, so there has to be interest anyway. He’s looked at Anti’s interest in him before as well, and it was bigger than usual too.

He locked onto the interest and made it much bigger than before.

The project on Mare’s desk a few feet away fell off without any push.

And that’s how they never talked about that sleepover again.

  
  


In the same year, something dreadful happened.

People thought it was an earthquake at first, but then the gunshots started to echo. No gang claimed the attack, but that was the least of their worries. They all lived in the same neighborhood, and so when each house was left riddled with bullet holes, no one was left behind.

They had been out at the time. The older brothers had brought the younger ones to a petting zoo in neutral territory. They arrived home to blood on the streets and bodies in their houses.

The police never found out the gunner’s intentions.

And they never found the 8 children that weren’t at home during the shooting.

The case was left open and put into a corner, passed every day but unsolvable.

And 8 kids slept in an old queen’s home that night.

  
  
  


“You must either survive twenty minutes.” Valentine said. “Or knock the other out.”

Mare snorted. That sounded easy.

“With gloves and blindfolds.”

What the fuck?

Anti and Dark nodded, as if that was a normal thing to ask. They’re just lucky, they aren’t the ones who have to do this.

The barely 18 year olds had spent a year figuring out what to do and where to go. After the police had labeled the shooting at their homes a gang fight, they vowed to make sure nothing like that ever happened again. Mare doesn’t know who proposed they make their own gangs to protect civilians, but it stuck and it was going well.

They had their own places, people, budget, and they had already started funding different organizations around Haven. They had weapons, money, and power. It had only been a year, but they had Mad’s genius, and the ex Boomer queen’s advice, and he knew a lot.

They were gangs in everything but officiality. And they were about to change that.

To officially become a gang, said gang has to beat one of the actual gang’s champions. Not to the death, but to see if they actually had the strength to become a gang. And, of course, the champion of all gangs is the queen, so now Mad and Mare have to fight.

Blindfolded. With gloves.

Mare never realized how stingy these gangs were with hiding their queens. Like, seriously, he hates dressing up, hiding himself. Once this is over, he’s stopping. It’s to much.

He had to be blindfolded in a different room, and Anti was the one who did it. It was hard to fight in the costumes they were, but taking those off would show themselves, so they came up with the stupid idea of blindfolds. Just to make it harder. The kings weren’t even allowed in the room.

He entered the matching box pissed off.

He does better when he’s mad.

And that’s how the Septics and the Shadows became official gangs.

  
  


“It’s not a matter of money, it’s a matter of laborers.” The head of Dark’s newly acquired medical practice said hotly. “Our construction workers aren’t working hard enough to get it done in time!”

Mad smiled, something ugly that curled on his face. “That’s not our problem, is it?”

Dark and Mad had set a time for the practice to be done. When they first invested, it had been one measly floor with two people working there. They planned to turn it into an actual medical lab at some point, but the head of the practice was going against their wishes, wanting to turn the place into a hospital instead. Since they weren’t actually in control, they couldn’t enforce it.

That would be okay, but there was already five adept hospitals in the Shadow’s territory, and another wasn’t needed. A waste, it would be. Sadly, the head seemed to be to idiotic to realize that. It was why they made the deadline much to short, to add more pressure onto his shoulders, to make him quit. It wasn’t working, though.

That’s why Dark was going to plan B. He excused himself for a bathroom, leaving the room. He could hear someone listening in, and the only other person there was the intern. The intern was of slightly lower then normal iq, was younger then Dark at the age of 17, and was  _ very _ poor.

A prime target.

Sure enough, the intern backed up with a small yelp as Dark walked out, closing the door behind him. “I-I’m so sorry for-for eavsedropping-ing s-sir!”

Dark smiled warmly, making sure his eyes looked warm as well as he chuckled softly. “It’s fine.” He said. “I’m Dark. Dark Iplier.”

The intern’s eyes widen in recognition. “It’s n-nice to meet you, Mr. Iplier!” He shook the outstretched hand. “I’m Richard, Richard, um, Richard Porter.”

The intern wasn’t lying, he just seemed to be really tongue tied. “Nice to meet you, Richard.” Dark turned up his smile, using his first name to make it more personal. “And please, call me Dark. Now, what is a young man like you doing working for an old crone like Dr. Gene?”

The intern didn’t seem to see that Dark was barely older then himself, but he just zerod into Dark badmouthing Dr. Gene. See, the head of the practice was not the man to be around on normal days, a rude egotistical man whose closest friends held him at arm’s length. Richard, being his intern, caught the brunt of Dr. Gene’s irritation, and Dark knew it, too.

Richard wilted slightly. “My mother’s sick, my dad’s dead, and my sister is to small to help out. I’m the only source of income for my family.”

Dark frowned. “I’m sorry for your situation.” He pitched his voice into something close to sorrow, even though he didn’t care that much. Everyone had to deal with something. Besides, once he was done, the boy would be in a lot better of a spot. “I lost my father too.”

Richard looked up, and something in his eyes told Dark that he had clicked. This conversation was now personal to the boy, and that’s what he needed. “How do you deal with it?”

“Time.” Dark answered truthfully, before getting back on topic. “You look to be a bright young boy. In a few years, you could easily be at Dr. Gene’s level.”

Richard’s lips went into a tilted frown. “I don’t actually like working with medicine- it just gives us a discount on my mom’s meds. I want to go into business,manage something or other.”

By himself, he wouldn’t be able to handle it. But he didn’t need to know that. “That’s exactly what we need right now, really.” Dark smiled. “Someone to manage the practice as it grows. Someone to be the CEO of this place.”

“But isn’t Dr. Gene the CEO?” Richard asked.

Dark shook his head. “No. He doesn’t have the… spark inside of him to get it done. But you-“ he poked Richard’s chest. “-you have that spark.”

“I-I do?” Richard’s eye’s were getting big.

“Of course you do.” Dark nodded. “You should be in control of this operation.”

“I-“ Something changed in Richard’s eyes, and Dark hid his smirk. “I should!”

Hook, line, and sinker. “Ah.” Dark spoke, as if remembering something sad. “But sadly, you can’t.”

“Wh-What?” Richard, poor, young, stupid Richard asked. ”why not?”

“Dr. Gene is in control.” Dark explained. “He gets to command everyone else.  _ And _ his salary is a lot higher then everyone else’s.”

“Oh.” Richard deflated. Then, what Dark knew would happen did. “What... what if I took over?” He lowered his voice. “What if I got rid of him?”

Dark mimicked zipping his lips closed. “I guess however it happened would forever remain a mystery.”

Richard nodded, and Dark went back into the meeting.

A week later, Dr. Gene passed away from mysterious circumstances. Richard took over, since no one else worked there at the time. He was incompetent, of course, so they let him stay as an executive while hiring actual personnel to work there. Dark was the actual CEO.

He got what he wanted, in the end.

And that’s why it’s important to know how to manipulate people.

  
  


Anti easily brought the blood slick knife out of the man’s back, watching him drop listlessly onto the ground. Behind him, up against the wall, Mare pouted. “What was that for?”

“I’m stopping you from being an idiot.” Anti replied, hiding the knife and nudging the body. “What are you doing?”

“Getting information.” Mare replied, wiping his lips with his sleeves before licking them.

“That didn’t look like getting information.” He sounded like a disappointed mother but he didn’t care.

“I got the information earlier.” Mare replied. “You just didn’t give me time to knock him out. You didn’t have to kill him.”

“And you didn’t have to gather information this way.” Anti retorted “So I guess we’re both mad.”

“Why not?” Mare asked. “I have a knack for this- people turn into putty when I turn it on. That guy-“ he pointed at the dead man. “He’s never so much as did a double take at another guy, and look at me, all charm.”

Anti took a second to look at the man before gasping. “That’s Tommy!” Anti squeaked. “I just killed Tommy!” He looked at Mare. “You were just kissing Tommy!” He looked back down at the corpse. “Tommy wanted to fuck you!”

“Well.” Mare shrugged, trying to hide anything he didn’t want Anti to see. “I am pretty fuckable.”

Anti paused, before busting out laughing. “Oh God, never say that again.”

For some reason, Mare had an uncanny skill of charm. He could charm the pants off of anyone. That’s all Anti knew about it.

Mare grinned, before quickly changing the subject. “Wow, it’s already nine.”

“Said I’d pick you up at nine.” Anti supplied. “Did you not believe me?”

“‘Course I did.” Mare said. “Just didn’t expect you to be so on the dot.”

“I work better at night.” Anti replied. “Nine is when I usually start going to scope out my targets for the night.” He looked back down at Tommy. “It’s also a good time to save you from being stupid, apparently.”

“I’m fine.”

“Says the hickey blooming on your neck.” Anti said, and the eighteen year old clapped a hand over his neck. “Come on, let's go back. And let’s make me saving you at nine o’clock  _ not _ a normal thing.”

And that’s how being saved at nine o’clock became a normal thing.

  
  


“You need some incentive, then?”

Dark frowned slightly, but continued feeding the ducks. He and the other three had been enjoying their time at a park when the Boomer king and queen had appeared. They had been official gangs for only two months now, and it had been pretty quiet.

Except for the Boomer King asking for some of their land. No, not asking, threatening. 

The king was a tall man with a thick black beard and multicolored eyes. Dark didn’t know much about the man, but he knew he had a daughter, Evelyn. Besides that, nothing. And the queen was covered, so nothing on them either. Mad was covered as well, since they  _ were _ at a park in Boomer territory. It’s the only place with a duck pond, ok?

“No.” Anti said gruffly. “We just don’t need to give you any of our land. The borders are where they are for a reason!”

The Boomer King was also one to anger very quickly. And the queen of the time was a very quiet queen. Deadly, but quiet. “You haven’t even heard my incentive.” The king spit.

“Don’t need to.” Anti threw some more bread before crossing his arms. “Now, can you leave us be? We’re not doing anything.”

“We’ll be out of your hair soon.” Dark said politely, even though he was annoyed as well.

“It’s too much land for such small gangs.” The king continued like they never spoke. “You can’t handle it all.”

“We’re doing just fine.” Mare grumbled back.

That’s when the king grew cold. “I’m not asking.”

“And we’re not selling.”

“You must not know ‘cause you’re all so young.” The king spat. “But I always get what I want, and right now I want more property. If you sell it to me, you get money, and nothing bad will happen,  _ boy _ .”

Dark paused at this, and Mad’s voice manipulator made his voice sound deeper. “And what do you mean by that?”

“You all have brothers, yes?” The Boomer king smirked, as if happy with himself. “Little tykes, aren’t they? Well-“

He never finished, as three quick shots rang out in succession, faster than even the queen could move. Dark glared at the Now dead body, holstering his gun before turning to the queen. “That was a threat.”

“You broke the treaty.” The queen said softly, more disappointed then wary.

“He threatened family.” Dark replied. The shadows around his feet seemed to lash out. “He broke the treaty, and you're lucky I’m not finishing the job.”

Technically, since it was only a threat and not actual harm, he shouldn’t have killed the king, but he definitely can’t kill the king’s family from just a threat. Besides, they all liked Evelyn. She was cool.

The queen took a step back into a crowd and disappeared without answering. No one seemed to realize that someone was dead in the park.

Anti frowned. “You should’ve let me have a go.”

And that’s how Evelyn came into being the king.

And two years later, Dark wondered if he should’ve killed more than one king.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breaking promises while breaking out of prison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, fun backstory time over. Back to the present. Prison break!!!

Mare was much to... ‘at home’ in the prison cell, more than any of the cops wished he was. They didn’t hold a trail for him, innocent till proven guilty -as some old countries once called it- had disappeared once the Judgement day happened. Money made the big difference, evidence was just a sideline thing. But, for once, they had enough evidence to override any money anyways, and they caught the queen with no backup, no time for lawyers or anything, so it made no difference to the police officers.

They just wished he hadn’t looked  _ so god darn _ pleased as he entered the prison, wearing all orange like he was born to wear it in the first place. No one had so much as looked at him wrong since he got in there, and he was all smiles as he walked around.

At the beginning, he was pissed. Truly enraged. He didn’t shout or scream at all, no. He just glared. He glared at everyone he passed, as if it was his own way of promising revenge. Revenge that everyone, somehow, knew would come true.

He wasn’t mad that he was in there, the cops knew. He was mad that his friend wasn’t in there with him. They hadn’t cared at first, with what had happened to the other boy. He was with his brother now, somewhere safer than with a queen. But the queen kept on  _ saying _ that Matthew didn’t have an older brother and Matthew himself seemed very against it. They had DNA and that was hard to fake, but something was starting to feel bad about it all, and it had only been half a day.

It didn’t help when a detective came back and said that the records for Matthew only went back five years then disappeared. They weren’t so much as worried for the boy as they were worried for themselves if Mare ever somehow got out.

The first conversation after Mare was thrown into the prison didn’t make any officer feel better about who they just caught.

It went a little something like-

“Is that the Septic queen?”

“No way, it couldn’t be-“

“How was he caught-“

“Are they  _ insane? _ He’s going to kill them all!”

Less of a conversation and more of an eruption of voices, but it was the same point.

The cops hadn’t taken their eyes off the camera screens since he was released in. They expected the queen to be in fights immediately, people from every gang stayed in this prison and fights broke out quite often because of it. Him being a queen would make it even more likely, they thought. They hoped it would force the queen to conform to prison rules and life, with him worrying more about the next fight then anything else.

It didn’t happen that way.

Everyone in Haven, no matter who or where you are, understands at least one thing about gangs. That one thing was that the Septics and the Shadows are allies. They never haven’t been, and likely never won’t be. And true, in prison they never fight, but they aren’t friends like they are out there. They sometimes help each other in fights, but besides that, they stay out of each other’s way and stay to their own gangs.

It all changed when Mare walked into the room.

It took only a few moments to recognize his face, and then people were moving. The Maniacs and Vipers fled from his direct area, the Boomers kept a slightly smaller berth, and the Septics flocked to one of their leaders, instantly circling like overprotective body guards before leading him towards an instantly completely open table. After they all sat, the Shadows moved, taking in the rest of the seats and hovering around, as if he was their leader too, just a lesser one.

Those not involved in any gang milled about, all too smart to get to close, but to curious to stay far away.

Then the queen looked into one of the cameras. He smiled and winked.

The cops knew that they had made a mistake.

  
  


It only took an hour for a fight to break out.

If you could call it one.

The prison was now a divided place, with Septics and Shadows on one side with their newly found queen, and the Maniacs and Vipers on the other. News wasn't present in prison, but just by the glare the Vipers could tell that the queen was furious with them for some reason. They didn’t want to find out why.

The Boomers and the others, of course, stayed the hell out of it.

It happened during lunch time. The queen had sat down, plate filled to the brim after he apparently sweet talked the lunch ladies into giving him and his friends the good grub (and leaving the waste for the Vipers). He also had three chocolate pudding cups, but that didn’t matter as much.

It happened to fast for the prison guards to stop him. Some deranged man from the Vipers (caught in a drug bust) ran forward, a makeshift shiv clutched in his hands. He was obviously aiming for the queen. It would be hard to land a fatal hit with how crudely the weapon was made, but it would hurt, and maybe, if the cops were thinking honestly, it would put the queen in the med ward long enough to squash the look of hope they could see blooming in certain faces.

Sadly, there were way to many people in the Viper’s way for him to have even a semblance of a chance to make it to the queen. It should’ve been over right then and there, but then the queen barked out a command and they all let the man come forward.

The cops looked appalled. The queen was slightly suicidal, it seemed.

The man reached the queen and swiped forward. In a fluid move, the queen grabbed his wrist, twisting it until the shiv fell from his wrist. Catching it, he sliced the man’s throat before stabbing him in the stomach. The man gurgled for a moment before the queen snapped his neck.

By the time the guards had arrived everyone was back at their seats, eating and chatting as the Viper bled onto the floor below them.

One of the head cops leaned back in their seat. “Take him in for questioning.” 

Another cop was still to baffled to really understand. “W-Why sir?”

“We May have been misled on what the queen actually does.” The cop crossed his arms. “I want to get a first person perspective on it.”

  
  


The chair in the interrogation room was metal and bolted to the floor. The head officer, a man that goes by Davis, entered the room slightly confused. The queen was handcuffed to the actual chair by not only his wrists but his ankles as well. “What’s with the setup?”

“He escaped the first handcuffs.” One of the other officers informed. “We had to get out the thicker ones.”

“Are you talking about me?” The queen asked aloud. “Stop it, I’ll start blushing!”

If the queen was being honest with himself, he was slightly ashamed for what he was about to do. He had promised Mad to not charm anyone anymore, for any reason. If he did it enough, it wore down on him mentally, and Mad was the only person that noticed that, and made him swear to stop. He felt bad for breaking his promise, but his anger overclouded his other emotions. He needed to get out of here and  _ back _ to Mad. 

Which meant he needed to be out and ready to go in ten minutes, before the hour turned.

It also meant he needed to distract everyone until the hour turned.

Davis sighed, closing the door and sitting in front of the queen. He very much didn’t want to do this. It’d be annoying and he’d have to be patient, but something needed to be done, and they needed more information. “Do you know why you're here?”

“In this cell, or in this prison?” The queen tilted his head with a light smirk. “Was it because I killed that man? Doesn’t Haven condone self defense? Gotta be careful, right?” His eyes twinkled dangerously. “Don’t want any zombies wanderin’ around.”

The cop ignored him, gritting his teeth before continuing. “You do not deny that you are the queen of the north eastern gang, known as the Septics?”

“You already know that.” The queen leaned in, which wasn’t far with his hands cuffed, but it made him look deranged. “And enough questions, I wanna learn more about  _ you _ and  _ your _ little gang. How did you learn about us queens?” He blinked, before backing up, licking his lips. “Do you even know what we are?”

Davis… didn’t like this, not at all. Something about this man was alluring in all the wrong ways. He wanted to tell him what he asked for, even though that was just crazy. He wanted to, though, he wanted to listen and do whatever he said.

He pinched his arm under the desk, which brought some clarity back into his mind. It was clear that the queen was a lot more skilled than thought of- so being cautious was a must. “We want to know more. That’s why you're here.”

Mare leaned all the way back, relaxing in the uncomfortable chair as if he was in his own throne. His smile was lazy, feral, and cheshire at the same time. “Ask away, officer.”

Something about his tone made Davis worry more. It had an after thought of ‘it’ll be the only time you can’ to it, and that didn’t sit the right way with him. There was no way that the queen knew of their set up, so he had no one to rescue him. Did he think he could get out by himself?

Davis wrinkled his nose. “Are all queens skilled in combat?”

Mare shrugged, before tilting his head at the man. “You really don’t know anything about us, do you?” He asked. “Seriously, you’ve never had a man on the inside? Never tried to join the Vipers or Boomers? Never had a Viper or Boomer become a cop?” Davis guessed that those two were the mostly likely to have something like that happen. The queen didn’t even mention the Septics.

Again, Davis caught himself about to answer. “This is not a back and forth thing.” Davis bit out.

“But it can be.” The queen surged forward then, arms suddenly free from their place as he placed them on the table, staring directly into Davis’ eyes, only inches away. “You answer my questions, I answer yours. Very easy, huh?  _ I know you want to.” _

And he did, and he’d be darned to know why.

“Sit back down and let me put those cuffs back on.” Davis commanded, before relenting. “Then we'll talk.”

The queen backed down slowly, almost gracefully, like a cat moving at night. Tense but nimble. 

And Davis was spending  _ way _ too much time staring at this prisoner.

It didn’t help that as he fixed the cuffs that the queen kept staring, eyes never leaving his. He felt… vulnerable, like the man was tearing off his skin and looking at what was underneath.

“You can start first.” The queen said with a smile and wink. “Officer.”

Why the hell was he blushing? What the hell was going on? “What... are the queens of Haven’s gangs?”

Davis knew it was horribly worded, knew that the queen could easily loophole an answer. He couldn’t pay attention with how the man was looking at him!

Luckily the queen seemed to keep their end and actually answer. “They do everything.” He said simply. “They do everything the king does and more. They protect their gang.”

“But everyone protects their gang.” Davis interrupted.

“But not in the way the queen does.” The queen countered. “After the king, they are in charge. They have to be diplomatic, charismatic, and skilled in fighting. My question.” He leaned forward again, leaving his again cuffed hands behind him. “What is the name of Matthew’s ‘brother’?”

Davis blinked. “What will you do with that information?”

“Ah ah!” The queen tisked. “My question.  _ Now answer!” _

His voice had gone from playful to angry in a single second. “I can’t tell you.” Davis replied. “You’ll just get someone to kill him.”

The queen laughed. “I do my own killing.” He said, before catching Davis’ eyes. He smiled, nice and slow, before tilting his head. Davis wanted to mimic him. “Now, what’s his name?”

“Theo.” He said. “That was the name he gave us.” And why did he tell him?! What was wrong with him?

The queen hummed, obviously pleased. He leaned back. “Theo.” He said, and the name seemed to scratch against something.

“My question.” Davis jumped forward, eager to talk to the queen some more. To hear the other talk. He liked his voice. “Who are you? Such a young age and already the queen to what could be the most dangerous gang out in Haven. Why you?”

“That’s two questions.” The queen’s Cheshire smile was back. “And I don’t know, I think we’re tied with the Shadows for least dangerous.”

“Least?” Davis questioned.

“Ah-“ The queen tisked again. “Another question.”

“You didn’t answer my first one.” Davis complained.

The queen stared at him for a few moments, keeping eye contact and almost transfixing Davis. “Okay, you got me there.” His smile showed that he didn’t care, and the queen leaned in again. “Tell me, out of all the gang related violence filed in the last few years, how much has been from the Shadows or Septics? How many civilians have we killed, how many have we hurt?”

Davis swallowed thickly. “You guys make a living out of killing people.”

The queen pouted, bottom lip jutting out and Davis was watching the man’s lips too much. "You have no confidence in us. Every hit we take we do extensive background checks on. We haven’t killed a single good person in this city yet.”

Davis was still confused. “But-“

“Shh.” The queen’s movements were now much more sensual than before, there was no doubt about it. “I’ve answered efficiently. Now, tell me, what do you know about the Vipers who helped you catch us?”

For some completely unprofessional reason, Davis was jealous that the queen kept bringing up that other guy, Matthew so much. That he cared so much. He gritted his teeth before answering. “They came to us around a week and a half ago. We learned about how you and the Septics were forcing that kid to run around smuggling things across Haven’s wall for money, how much danger he was in. We did our job and got him home safely.”

The queen was silent for a moment, before he barked out a rough laugh, eyes blazing, and… was that hot? “He’s in more danger now then he ever was in before!” The queen snarled. “His name is  _ not _ Matthew, and that was  _ not _ his brother! He’s not from the Vipers, but he  _ is _ a part of the Shadows and he has information  _ they _ want.” The queen leaned forward, eyes flashing. “And you  _ know _ what the Vipers and Maniacs do when they want information.”

Davis barely stopped the barrage of images that started to flash through his head. He had to believe that the queen was wrong, or else what he did would gnaw a hole in his stomach.

Yes, he needed to believe what he did was right. He’d much rather focus on the queen, on how he moved and how his face was sculpted in just the right form-

Maybe he’s a little not straight, which was strange because he’s never shown interest in his gender before (he conviently decided to forget about Brad from high school, and Greg from college, and Dave from the police force-), but something about  _ whatever _ the queen was doing had him hooked.

He just hoped the queen didn’t notice.

(The queen did. He was mentally smiling for it, too. Davis was harder to charm then anyone he’s ever done before but he was still making it work. He wondered when Davis would notice that his hands were free again.)

“So…” Davis looked around the room to calm himself. The queen shifted in his seat, eyes wondering and subconsciously (at least, that’s what he thought) biting his lip, which Davis noticed immediately and he was staring wasn’t he? “Um, what’s- what’s the ranking system for each gang?”

They knew the basics, but besides that they were in the dark. The queen’s eyes went down his body for a quick second before snapping back up, and did Davis’ breath hitch a bit there? “Pretty simple.” The queen shrugged. “First the king, then the queen, then the third. After that, it’s mostly high ranked operatives, then captains, then lackeys. Doctors are ranked with operatives, and anyone else- like scientists- are ranked with captains. It changes from each gang, but it’s mostly like that.”

He had just spent his question, but something made him blurt out, “Are the kings and queens romantically involved?”

The queen froze on that question, quite literally froze with a shocked expression. Davis knew he went to far and prepared for the backlash, but the queen just laughed, a soft chuckle that would warm anyone’s heart before he looked up. “No, we aren’t.” He said. “My question.”

And suddenly, he was free again, and his hand cupped the officer’s jaw as he leaned over the table. They were there for a few moments, before the queen asked, “Why?”

Why? Well, to Davis it was pretty obvious why. Why was pressed up against his chest right now, why was staring at him with dark eyes, why was an inch away from his lips, and why was making his pants uncomfortable to be in.

He’s  _ so _ going to be fired.

And for some reason, he really doesn’t care.

He learned a few moments after he pushed forward that the queen was still cuffed by his ankles to the chair, which meant that Davis couldn’t fulfill any of his wilder thoughts against the wall that he thought of without unlocking the prisoner and  _ that _ would  _ absolutely  _ get him fired and most likely get him imprisoned, so he stuck to just kissing the queen instead.

He felt the hand grip his waist but thought nothing of it, much to busy with more pressing matters. When it started moving around his pockets he almost pulled back but thought otherwise when it stopped and just pulled him closer. He thought nothing of the other hand in his hair, because that was normal, and he only really wished that the table wasn’t in the way or that the chair wasn’t bolted to the ground because it was an uncomfortable angle and he was to horny to deal with that right now.

And then both hands moved up to his hair, and he thought nothing anymore, because suddenly the hands were holding on too tightly and they were slamming his head into the table.

Mare grinned, licking his lips before taking the key he had found in Davis’ pocket and unlocking the cuffs around his ankles. Getting up quickly, he did what he needed to quickly, because they would be in here soon, most definitely.

The hour would be turning soon, too.

He had the man stripped of his bulletproof vest and police belt by the time the door opened. Good thing was the belt had not only a gun but a taser as well, which was always fun. It was easy to pull the unconscious man’s up by his collar, and it was easy to put a gun to his head.

“Shouldn’t of left you with only one watcher.” One guard hissed as he eyed the situation.

Mare laughed. “Would’ve been the same with two or three of them either way, just more messy.” He licked his lips again before raising his head slightly. “We all know it’d be hard for me to get out of here with only this stuff on me.”

“Then why even pull this?” One officer barked.

“I was buying time.” Mare said, smug smile plastered on his face.

“Time?” The same officer barked. “Time for what?”

Mare looked up at the clock in the room, watching it hit the next hour. His eyes sparkled as something shook the ground for a moment. The air seemed to turn static. “It’s 9 o’clock now.”

  
  


Anti’s timing was wonderful.

And he knew what had transpired right before he arrived, since Mare had gained the habit of licking his lips whenever he charmed someone. He couldn't stop once he started, and so it was a dead giveaway.

“I told you!” Anti complained as they moved across the prison. “-that the next time you do this, I’m telling Mad.”

Now, both Mad and Dark knew of Mare’s charm power thing, Mad had even asked for him to use it on him, to see it in action (cough that  _ one _ sleepover-) but he didn’t know that he still used it to gather information from time to time, because Mare had promised him not to. He’d get an earful if Mad found out, and he didn’t want to see Mad disappointed or -god forbid-  _ sad. _

“If you tell him.” Mare threatened. “I’ll tell Dark all of your dirty secrets.”

Anti frowned. “What secrets? He knows everything, and besides, I don’t care-“

“-what about the fact that you once found that picture of-“

“Ah Shh!” Anti clapped a hand over his mouth, but due to the flailing he slapped him instead. Of course Mare knew his dirty secrets, they’ve been friends for so long, and Mare was always the one to take care of drunk Anti. And drunk Anti  _ loved _ telling his stories. “Sorry, and no! You said you’d never speak of that again.”

“All’s fair in love and war.” Mare quoted, something he learned from one of the kids once. “You tell Mad, I tell Dark.”

They sounded like gossiping girls, but, as said before, all’s fair in love and war.

“Where is Mad?” Mare asked not even a moment later, ducking under a well placed fist from another officer. Grabbing said wrist, he threw it over his shoulder, slamming the guy into the ground before stomping on his head, breaking his nose and knocking him out. He was still upset with what they did. “He’s safe, right?”

“Dark’s getting him now.” Anti muttered, leading the way back to the cells. Mare never saw them, but he guessed the button Anti just pressed caused them to open. 

Mare was incredulous, though. “He’s still not out?!” He snarled. “It’s been half a day!”

“We wouldn’t of even known if it weren’t for the comm!” Anti snapped back. “He would’ve been there for even longer, and so would you have been.”

Mare crossed his arms. “I’d be fine.”

Anti arched his eyebrow. “Really?”

Mare smirked for only a second before striding forward. He took a second to watch as everyone curiously left their room before yelling out. “Septics!”

Instantly, those not in a gang went back to their cells and hid. The Septics, on the other hand, almost gave themselves whiplash with how fast they moved.

“Come out!” Mare continued, glancing at Anti for a second before letting the smallest smile grace his lips. “We’re leaving.”

Because they didn’t deserve to be in here, really. Most of them were the lowest of lackeys, with one operative and one assassin. Still, they were all loyal in the few hours Mare has been here.

“Did you open our doors?” The operative said, obviously used to being the leader. “Why, how?”

“No time for such questions now.” Mare waved it off, because it really wasn't. And since they were in a prison full of every gang and he needed to stay somewhat official, he said, “Right now, you need to greet your king.”

“Such a showoff.” Anti laughed as he left the shadows of the wall.

Mare ignored the intake of breath that erupted from everyone in the  _ entire fuckin prison, _ because of course everyone knew Anti’s face. “Bloody hypocrite, look at you.”

Mare’s surprised they’re so surprised. Like, of course Anti would come to get him, did they think he wouldn’t? No one would ever let a king or queen stay in jail to serve their sentences. Gangs would be trying to break them out nonstop.

Or someone on the inside would kill them.

Anti didn’t answer, crossing his arms and taking a second to turn in a complete 360. His stern ‘king’ face was on and showing proudly, shown by how those not around him flinched as he caught their eye. Even Mare would be wary, if he wasn’t inwardly thinking about stealing some pudding cups on the way out.

“Shadows.” Anti called out, and said gang flinched slightly. Anti grunted, before speaking again. “Come out, you're comin with us.”

As they scrambled down, Anti turned to the assassin. “Good to see you Porter.”

“The same for you, king.” The assassin’s grin was more feral then Anti remembers. “What do you need?”

“Still remember how to use this?” He took out one of his many guns, twirling it for a moment before handing it over. Porter held it in his hands, looking at it as if it was a delicate flower.

Unexpectedly, he twisted, firing two rounds into a Maniac in one of the ground cells. The man collapsed, and the other inmates dove for cover.

Porter’s smile turned into a smirk as he flicked the safety back on, sticking the gun into his back pocket. “He threatened the queen earlier.” He said, which obviously wasn’t why he was killed but it was an okay excuse.

Mare shrugged, apathetic, before holding out his hand.

“Are there any jobs going around right now?” Anti asked, handing Mare his second extra gun. “Anyone from the Shadows or Septics that aren’t in the cells right now?”

Porter took a second before answering. “There are a few with cafeteria duty. Two are in the infirmary.”

Anti nodded. “Take a few men and get them and get out. No more then one or two. Stay hidden.”

Mare had finished inspecting the gun he was given, and now pointed at two men standing to the side. “Take those two.”

Anti glanced at them. Shadow assassins, the highest in the prison, since there were no Shadow operatives. Anti didn’t have to bother warning them about being stealthy anymore, at least. Porter nodded, jerking his head over to the side. The two, definitely having listened in, slipped away into hallway, Porter following.

“We need a distraction.” The Septic operative pipped up. “Can you get me to a computer?”

The operative was in charge of technical operations when he was free. He worked on anything with an electrical pulse. Anti got in short circuiting the fence and climbing over. Risky, and a one time thing. They needed to get the door open.

“I’ll watch him.” Mare volunteered, getting over to the operative’s side. Even though he was used to being the leader, he was still on the smaller side. He was lucky he had Porter already in this prison when he got there, or he would’ve been murdered early. “I’ll get him where he needs to be. You get the others to the door.”

“No.” Anti snapped. “You’re not getting out of my sight. The last time I let you go you got arrested.”

“Come on.” Mare groaned. “We don’t have time for this.”

Anti glared, hard. It was his kingly glare, and Mare knew it wouldn’t be good to argue in front of others, especially because there were Maniacs and Vipers listening. He wrinkled his nose and sighed. “Yes,  _ King. _ ”

A frown twitched on the other’s lips, before he looked away, addressing everyone else. “We need to know the fastest way to the control room. Who can get us there?” A few hands raised, and Anti pointed out one of the Shadows, one with a hard face. “Good, now-“ he grabbed the bag he was carrying on his back. Throwing it on the ground, it opened, and police batons littered the ground. “-whoever can fight grab a weapon.”

  
  


Ten minutes later and it had turned crazy. Once they had left the cells, the other gangs left their own cells, unintentionally causing a distraction with their loud and brash escapes. Anti’s group, though, was being as quiet as possible.

And he’s happy that he made sure that anyone in his gang got some type of training, and most people picked some type of blunt weapon to practice with, since they were the most common found weapon in Haven. It made times like these much easier.

The only problem was that once the guards were mostly taken care of, the Maniacs and the Vipers (which, unfairly, had almost three times the amount of inmates the Septics And Shadows had together) turned on them. Well, turned on mostly Anti and Mare. They didn’t care as much for the others, since they’ve spent years in prison together and that changes people. 

So that was harder to deal with, when every other step you had some crackhead running for you with a shiv or a baton or, the worst, a taser. Anti almost got hit with one, but lucky Mare shot the guy’s hand before he could pull the trigger.

The operative, Ricky, was still very good at his job, and only took a full minute to close down the fences and open the gate. Granted, it wouldn’t last long, but it did work.

They had just made it outside when Anti’s new comm went off.

The conversation was had outside of anyone’s hearing range, but it was easy to see when they came back that both Mare and Anti were pissed.

“Who was that?” Porter didn’t expect much of an answer, but he was curious so he asked anyway. He and his small group had met back with Anti’s group only a minute ago, now that they were out of the base and settled into a house owned by a relative of a Septic who lived in Boomer territory. The prison itself wasn’t really on anyone’s territory, like most Haven prisons, but it was technically in Boomer territory, so Anti needed a spot to be in afterwards and Anna, the owner, was happy enough to give.

“The Shadow’s king.” Anti announced, before turning to the gang in question. “You’ll have to make it the rest of the way on your own now. Make sure you let your king know you’re back. He needs the good news.”

Everyone felt the ominous tone, but no one said anything about it. Anti nodded once he was sure they understood. “The same goes for the Septics, since Mare and I have something we need to check on immediately.”

Mare knew exactly what he meant instantly, and he knew he confused people with how fast he got up. “I’ll drive.” 

“We’ll see you all soon.” Anti didn’t really care about what he was saying, it was just what he thought others would say. He threw the car keys to Mare as he moved. “Look out for each other, until you’re out of Boomer territory, at least.”

Then he and Mare were gone, taking the car Anti had brought and driving off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably good to say that any and all shipping is approved around the four main characters. Think what you want, I didn't put the 'i have problems defining relationships' tag for nothing.


	11. Chapter 11

They arrived five minutes after Dark had arrived, which was just a bit to late to help. The Shadows could all tell something was wrong, even if they didn’t know exactly what. 

See, the Shadows didn’t know who their own queen was. They thought Mad was an operative, albeit the first operative of the Shadows, thus being the most powerful, which was why he talked to Dark all of the time. That being said, they thought that the actual queen didn’t even live in the main Shadow’s house. Only a select few people knew.

So it was hard to get him inside without anyone seeing, because then they would wonder, and probably connect it to the gangs’ meeting today. After what Mad told Dark, they didn’t need more trouble.

“He’s sleeping. Don’t wake him.” Dark said as they appeared in the hallway. He was leaning against the wall next to his room.

“I won’t.” Mare muttered, opening the door quietly and walking through. Dark waited a few seconds before grabbing Anti’s arm and pulling him away, towards Dark’s office. 

“What is it?” Anti asked once the door was closed behind them.

“The Vipers know about the immunes. Mat specifically.” Dark didn’t dance around it.

Anti’s eyes widened, a new type of horror in them. “What?” His voice was a lot softer then he intended, but then he realized something. “Why didn’t you wait until Mare was here to tell us both?”

“Mad’s probably telling him now.”Dark said.

Anti narrowed his eyes, “Mare wouldn’t wake him up.”

“Mad’s a light sleeper, he’ll wake up on his own. Why do you think I was outside his room in the first place?”

Anti groaned, grabbing at his hair, the implications of what he was told finally hitting. They knew, and whatever they did, it had to be a lot, for Mad to tell them  _ that. _ “Shit. They don’t know about the others?”

“Just Mat.” Dark confirmed. “Ill have Jason putting more security on their room. I suggest you do the same.”

“Of course.” Anti murmured. “How bad is Mad, really?”

Dark's shoulders slumped. “He insists, says he’ll be fine, but… I’m thinking of sending him to an actual hospital.”

“That’s… risky.” Anti finally said.

“It’s safer then here.” Dark murmured darkly. “The Maniacs know this place, and it’s obvious that they’re working with the Vipers. They were also the ones who took the immunes before.”

Anti crosses his arms. “Maybe the kids should stay with us for a while.”

“They know about your place too.” Dark retorted. “Whoever brought Felix to your place at gunpoint. If we send them somewhere, it couldn’t be somewhere they know about.”

Anti pondered for a while before a thought came to. “Did Mad ever tell you about the immune moving to our border?”

Dark raised his head slightly. “He only told me a little about it, before he left. What do you propose?”

“It’s very temporary, but what if we have them stay somewhere close to the immune? Not only will they learn more about their powers, but it’s somewhere no one would expect them to be.” As he thought more about it, the idea became better and worse at the same time. “Border patrol passes by everyday, several times a day, and no sane person would try to pass through that deep in both of our territories.”

Dark played with the idea. “I’ll look into it.” He said after a bit. “We’ve been playing by their rules for a while now, but we finally know what they’re after. I think it’s better if we just take ourselves off the board all together.”

Anti arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“They’re able to hit us so hard because they know where we are. I think it might be a good idea to lay low for a little while. Give them no clue to where we are, and give us enough time to recollect ourselves.”

“I see what you’re saying…” Anti nodded slowly. “Where are you suggesting we go, though? The only safe way to leave Haven is by boat, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I’m more along the lines of recon.” Dark said.

It took Anti a moment, before his eyes widened. “You want to lie low… in another gang’s territory?” He was quiet for a moment, before an excited grin lit his face. “I’m in.”

  
  
  


Mad woke up five days later to an apartment that was missing everyone he cared about. A note on his stomach from Mare told him where he went, but that didn’t stop him from sighing.

The second day was the first day he was up and about, if only on crutches. He immediately got to work contracting the immune and his friend, getting Jason to drive him up to the house that they were currently moving into.

The two didn’t want any trouble, and wanted to lie low, but when told of the four kids Mad hoped to relocate there for a while and why, the friend of the immune felt empathy and agreed almost immediately. Almost immediately after, they got a large sum of money transferred to their account and a few gang members helped out getting their boxes unpacked and the like. Not only, but they got two different comms, one to each gang, and a tv.

While they were doing this, Mad had a few others silently bring in some beds, toys, and other things, getting them to put it in the spacious attic. A few painted walls and an installed rug later, the attic was the perfect kids room.

It was surprising what one could get done in one day with two whole gangs behind you.

It was the third day that they dropped off their brothers. Robin, Ethan, and Tyler had all been relocated for the time being, and the thirds of the Septics and Shadows were starting to get ready to make themselves scarce, to not be a target anymore. They would still visit, randomly once a day, but they wouldn’t stick around to much. It’d be enough to keep each gang going smoothly, without tipping off anyone else.

With that out of the way, they now stood up in the large attic, watching their brothers look around in amazement. Mad made sure that the walls were painted like how the kids liked, just so they’d be more into staying. Chica had a bed in the corner closest to the stairs, and they had their favorite toys in a box, their tablet charging next to Mark’s bed. They said it was like a cool sleepover, so Mad made it like a cool sleepover.

“This is awesome!” Mark bounced on his bed, giggling. The others were checking everything out, too. The only one still by their brother was Mat, who was worried about Mad. “How long are we staying here? Are you guys sleeping downstairs?”

Dark grimaced. “No.” He said, and the kids all sombered, confused. “We all have important work to do. Now, you all remember what we said earlier?”

They all nodded. Even though they were kids, they knew that bad stuff would happen if they didn’t listen to their brothers. “But.” Jack questioned. “But who’s gonna make us food and tuck us in?”

“You guys will have to tuck yourselves in.” Mare answered. “And the two guys downstairs you just met will take care of you. Treat them with the respect you treat us, even more so.”

They stayed up there for a few more hours, spending as much time with their brothers before leaving. They may be gone for weeks, even months, and they all agreed that once they left, they wouldn’t come back, to keep the place as secret as possible.

They were worried that if they took to long the kids would be too much for the two to handle, but they had comms, and one was immune. He could teach them so much about themselves, could help them understand what’s really going on.

“Hey.” One of the men staying there jogged up to them as they started to leave. It wasn’t the immune. “I know we’re the ones taking them in and stuff, but thank you for trusting us to take care of them. I know it must be hard.”

Mad forced a smile on his face. He was still in a lot of pain, but it was becoming easier to hide. “It is.” He admitted. “But it’s to protect them. You have the Septic and Shadow gang in your favor for this.”

The man, Phil, smiled. “No need for that, it’d be awful of me to leave immune children out for the Maniacs. I’ll be getting back, then. Dan’ll have an existential crisis if he’s left with those kids all alone for to long. Bye!”

The fourth day was all planning. Since Mad was in no shape for anything, he was to stay behind and heal while keeping order with Mare. They’d both find somewhere to lay low in too. While he did that, though, the Kings had decided to do some recon in Maniac territory, for some insane reason, and nothing Mad said could stop them.

Mare was quiet on the topic. Mad should’ve known something was up.

They were able to rent an apartment on very short notice due to who they were, a two bedroom place, for both queens to live in until this all blew over or until Mad was completely healed. Whichever came first.

The fifth day, the present day, Mad woke up to an empty apartment and a note on his stomach and he immediately knew something was wrong.

“He couldn’t even wait till I was off my crutches to leave?” Mad grumbled as he stomped (as much as he could in crutches) his way to the kitchen. “I’m going to  _ kill _ him.”

The note was small and simple. And idiotic.

_ ‘I’m going to Viper territory. No one knows. I’ll be back by Monday. -Mare’ _

He crumpled the paper and threw it in the trash, grumbling. “Here lies Mare Night, 2318 to 2338. Killed by his best friend because he’s a complete idiot!” His anger rushed forward, and he almost yelled the last part of it. “What is he thinking?! Damnit Mare-“ He slammed his hand into the kitchen counter, which sent a jolt through his arm and into the rest of his body, making his burn and stomach hurt.

Whereas his burns had been taken care of by professionals, his stomach had not been, mostly because when he had been treated the monsters were still there and he would  _ not _ let them get close enough. Holding back a groan of pain, he grumbled as he hiked himself up onto a chair and pulled up his shirt.

Yep, that looked painful. Blotchy purple, black, yellow and green bruises concentrated into a nice area of about a half a foot wide in length. He hadn’t been losing blood through any of his oreficies lately, so he took it as a good sign and went to apply cream and wrap it. 

It was Friday. He was stuck to using only crutches, and even he knew he should stay on house arrest until he was better. He shouldn’t go out alone while he was still on crutches.

His comms were for only extreme emergencies.

Friday. Three days waiting, if Mare decides to be punctual. He almost never is. Mad would have to wait in this place for probably three days, because, coincidentally, the professionals said he should be fine off his crutches by Monday, if he works on it.

Still… three days.

Mad could do it. It’d be fine. He’d find something to do, he always does. Or maybe he could sleep some more, since he obviously needed more of that. It would be smart if he focused his time and healed.

He watched a clock plastered on the wall. It ticked. Slowly.

“Fuck it.” He grunted, already bored. Collecting his crutches, he stuffed some keys in his pocket and left. If anyone tried anything, they’d have to deal with a pissed off queen wielding crutches.

And he’s used them as weapons before.

  
  


Mare’s never had problems moving around before, but that had been when he had a car available, and cars were much too easy to track in a city in this day and age. So he was stuck with walking.

That’s what made it a problem.

It was still early morning, before daybreak, which meant that patrol was much more vigilant than in the day. Sure, getting out of the Shadows wouldn’t be much of a problem, but getting into Boomers? Into Vipers? That was almost to much to ask for.

So when he remembered the underground tunnels he almost jumped in joy. It took him a few hours to walk all the way into Viper territory, but it was a peaceful few hours. He didn’t have to think about sneaking around while doing so. He only thought about his brother and how pissed off Mad was going to be.

When he emerged from the tunnels it was completely light out. He also had no clue as to where he was going. Looking around, he frowned. There was definitely a Viper out right now, they were easy enough to find, and once he found one low enough to not, hopefully, know his face, he could charm them-

He stopped the thought. Charming someone once to get out of prison was one thing, charming a random person to get information he could get other ways was another thing. This is what happened, even if he only used it once, and it was another reason why Mad didn’t like it. Granted, he knew it was bad too, but it was Mad that made him stop.

He sighed, ripping the thought apart before looking around. It was easy to find a Viper lackey, based on the way they walked (always hunched like they’re hungover), if they're showing their tattoo, or if they're walking in groups where one obviously is holding a weapon. He could see five different Vipers so far on this crowded street. As said, Vipers are everywhere.

He picked the Viper that looked like the lowest of the low, following him as he ducked into an alleyway. Hopefully, this one was a noobie, which would make him be the easiest to crack.

He followed a few seconds behind, grabbing the man as he walked along before slamming him into the wall. The guy squeaked, obviously terrified. “Wh-What-“

“Quiet.” Mare snapped, and the man did. “Now, buddy, I have two questions for you, and if you answer truthfully you’ll leave this with minimal injuries. If you don’t, I’ll find you and kill you, capchie?”

The man shook, nodding frantically. “Good.” Mare continued. “Now, where’s the Viper’s main house, and where is the Viper named Theo?”

The answer was the same for both questions. “He usually stays on base, since he’s higher than lackeys.” The man said. “Most higher ups stay on base, so-so you better n-not attack, or-or you’ll be destroyed!”

“Nice confidence and loyalty. I didn’t know you had it in you.” Mare smirked. “And don't worry about me. It should be your entire gang that you’re worried about. Ever heard of the Septic Queen?”

It took a moment for what he said to settle, but the man’s face told him that he understood, and that he was suddenly so very much more scared. Mare grinned, before punching the man in the side of the temple, right where the hippocampus was. He’d wake up forgetting what happened, if he was lucky.

The man slumped to the floor, and Mare left him, shaking his somewhat achy hand after that hit.

He had stuff to do.

  
  


Anti and Dark had easier times getting into Maniac territory because they actually took a car. A beaten up, inexpensive car, but a car nonetheless. They parked outside of a house a few blocks away from the border to the Boomers and looked at their new base of operations.

Anti tched. “No wonder no one wants to live here.”

True, Maniac territory felt more like a wasteland then a liveable place. Each house was the definition of crumbling, the streets were littered with ragged cars, and there was no one about. Kids with only the barest clothes to their name ran about, watching everyone with wary eyes.

Dark sighed, “This is what happens when a gang like the Maniacs take control.”

The Maniacs didn’t care, didn’t care about Haven or civilians or anything. They wanted money and power, and so they would get it. Slave and organ trades using their own people got them money, so they did it. The black market in Haven wasn’t so big, but it was huge in a city across the ocean, where they didn’t have as much gang violence, and that city paid top market for what the Maniacs delivered.

A few nicer cars appeared a bit away, and anyone in the streets scattered. Dark took the cue and push Anti into the house, closing the doors behind them and watching the cars drive past.

“This is awful.” Anti admitted, looking around but not daring to touch anything, in risk of disease. “What’s Evelyn doing to stop this?”

“As much as she can without being caught.” Dark murmured, setting down his duffel bag. Finding a desk and chair, he wiped the dust off before opening up his laptop, sitting down. “She does monthly night raids of the place. You know, helping get children and families out. She can’t help those already caught without being caught herself, but she does what she can.”

She can’t help rebuild in here, either, because she can’t send in her own men, and that left the construction crews vulnerable. The Maniacs were already desperate enough to try and take people from other territories, she didn’t dare give them more.

Dark wondered briefly if they found Dan and Phil on one of those raids once.

Forgetting it all together, he connected to the closest source of data, which of course meant it was Maniac’s. Taking out a USB Mad once gave him, he connected them and waited.

The USB did it’s work quickly, the Maniacs not expecting or prepared for someone of Mad’s caliber to come and break the encryption and walls they had placed on their data. After a few minutes, the laptop beeps and Dark took out the USB. Anti moves over, and the both of them scroll through the files silently.

“There.” Anti pointed out. It was a file named Project Ancestor. Dark had passed it by, but now that he was looking at it, he could see what Anti saw.

The file opened up into a few more files and documents. It only took a second for Dark to narrow in on the file named Immunes.

That file opened up into several documents, one under a group named Immunes and one under a group named Suspects. He opened a random document named Kennedy and scanned the page.

There was a picture of a boy on there, as well as a name, birthdate, deathdate, and a random number. Along with a short description of him, there was also a rating of how well his blood worked on curing zombies, and a lengthy description of what past events he remembered most. The boy seemed to really like old presidents from a country long gone, something about having the same name.

He shared a look with Anti before continuing on. Another document named Sophia caught his attention because of a star next to it, and he opened it up, scanning to see what was different about it.

The rating of her blood was the highest it could be.

Dark, curious, fully read the document, connecting the rating to her past memories as the document said to do. Apparently, Immunes who can remember more about the past have better immunity. Apparently, not all Immunes could completely remember the past, not like their brothers could. Like Sophia apparently could.

“Wow.” Anti said after Dark clicked off. “So our brothers are unique  _ past _ being special?”

“Seems so.” Dark murmured absently, scrunching his brows at a few unnamed documents. There were a couple under suspects, but only one under immune. They all had stars. He opened the one under immune.

It was Mat.

How and when they got the picture, he didn’t know, but it was obviously him. They had an estimated age and date of birth, as well as a description of him and his brother, Mad. His rating was high, because somehow they had figured out that he was one of the ones giving Haven’s scientists the past information that they ‘just seemed to be getting’. They didn’t have a name, but they knew.

Quickly, he clicked off, going to the suspects and opening them all. They were all there. The Maniacs even had one for Robin, Tyler, and Ethan. They knew.

“Can you delete them?” Anti asked after a bit of silence.

“Hopefully.” He plugged the USB back in, tapping the keyboard as he spoke. “But I doubt this is the only information they have.”

Once he deleted the files, he went out of the immune file and looked at the rest of the documents. They were all empty, as if someone else had pulled the files out.

Dark quickly took the USB out, shutting off his computer and closing it. “Precaution.” He muttered at Anti’s look. They may have been empty from the get go, but if someone knew they were there and was hiding the files, they might’ve been able to get into Mad’s USB and Dark’s computer. He didn’t have much important on it, but anyone with half a brain would be able to tell who the owner was. They didn’t need that publicity right now.

He stood up, stretching. “I’d like to get a closer look.”

Anti arched an eyebrow. He wasn’t used to being the man who had to speak reason. So… he didn’t. “Sure, let’s go.” He shrugged.

Dark gave him a short look before stuffing his computer back into his duffel bag. He didn’t comment as he got ready, so Anti didn’t either.

He wondered how the other two were doing. Well, mostly Mare. Mad couldn’t really do anything, so it was Mare he suspected to go against what they said and do something stupid. Hopefully, he’ll be too busy motherhenning Mad to do anything.

Anti snorted at the thought.

  
  


Mad knew he was a sight to see. He found it comical himself. It was why he was chuckling.

He had gone shopping, because he had forgotten to get food for the kitchen earlier. He knew he thoroughly confused the cashier, who just happened to be a Shadow. “What happened to you?” He whistled.

“Mission.” Mad said breezily. Everyone thought he was an operative, so he’d be one. “I was caught.”

“Ah.” The cashier winced, taking out a fabric grocery bag instead of plastic. Luckily, Shadows knew not to be curious when it came to missions. “Sucks, I getcha. Fabric carries better.”

“Thanks.” Mad nodded, grabbing the bag and slinging it over his shoulder. It was on his walk back that what he thought might happen actually did.

For all the gang violence Haven had, they didn’t have much regular mayhem. Petty theft was as far as it usually goes, besides the occasional unique case. Most criminals stayed away from organized groups like the gangs because they didn’t want to be tied down to one group for likely the rest of their life. Because of that, Mad normally never saw a single or couple of criminals at any time.

The years of experience warned him a few moments before one of his crutches suddenly disappeared. As fast as possible, he planted his stronger foot, swinging the crutch he still had around.

It connected squarely with a chest, and he heard a release of breath before he saw it. Then a hand on his back pushed him into a sideways alley. He had to put both his feet down so he wouldn’t fall, which was a bad idea, since his weaker leg immediately collapsed under him.

He held himself up by the wall, gritting his teeth as pain zapped up his body. He just couldn’t catch a break, could he? He can’t mind his business in a cafe, can’t mind it walking to the apartment. People just thought they could mess with him and get away with it- he was a fucking queen, for god’s sake. The Shadow’s queen, to be precise. The queen of the fuckin assassination gang.

It came to him through the next wave of pain. He needed to teach them. They needed to learn.

“Let’s make this easy.” One said as another wheezed. “Give us your money, and you get off free.”

There were three of them, two with knives and one with a bat. He glared at the bat before grinning. It was much to wide. “Just what I need right now. Idiots to help me let off some steam.”

The three didn’t appear to hear. One of them with a knife wheezed, clutching his chest. “You fucking cripple!” He coughed. “How dare yous!”

“Let’s not pretend like you didn’t deserve it.” Mad kept his hand on the wall, leaning down to pick up the crutch he dropped. “I may be injured, but at least I’m not picking on ‘cripples’” He narrowed his eyes.

The wheezing man (Mad then dubbed him ‘the Wheezer’) scowled, waving his hand towards him. The other two took the signal and moved forward.

Mad waited until the bat man (heh, that one was now dubbed ‘Batman’) and the other knife man who stole one of his crutches (the Crippler) came close enough before moving. He took his remaining crutch in his normal hand and swung it again, this time connecting solidly with Batman’s head. His head snapped to the side, and he looked at his friend with a confused face before crumpling into a heap on the ground.

The Wheezer and Crippler looked at him as if he just killed their dog. He smiled. Batman worried him the most, since he, of course, had a bat. Now, though, it should be much easier.

He just had to get to the other crutch.

The Wheezer had finally controlled himself, and now he had two armed men coming at him. He set the crutch back on the ground, leaning heavily on it. That took, sadly, a lot out of him.

The Wheezer reached him first since the Crippler was lollygagging. He let him get close enough to put his knife  _ almost _ under his chin.

Then he dug his crutch into his shoe, hit him with his grocery bag (the side that had frozen chicken), and grabbed his hand holding the knife, pushing it back in on itself. It caught his throat and dug in, just enough to be a panic to a normal person but not enough to be anywhere fatal. Of course, the Wheezer was an idiot who didn’t know that he  _ wasn’t _ about to die, and his body went into premature shock.

He took the moments he was given and hobbled forward, almost diving for his other crutch when the Crippler finally lived up to his name. His fingers had just touched the handle when the man slammed into him, pinning him against the far wall. He lost his breath for a moment, gasping to get it back before going still. The Crippler’s knife was in front of his face, and this time the man had pushed away his crutch and pinned one of his arms.

He grunted in pain, because, of course, it was the one with his burn.

The Crippler noticed, and his eyes trailed up Mad’s arm until he saw the burn peeking out from behind loose fabric. His eyes narrowed in an intelligent curiosity that the others didn’t have. “Hey, Boss, come lookadis.”

Wheezer, who had finally realized that he wasn’t going to die, stomped over, enraged. “Who do you fucking think yous are, you little piece of shit?!” He glanced over at his arm, where the Crippler had pulled up the sleeve to reveal the burn. Wheezer grabbed his arm. “Look at that, got a Viper tattoo, makes yous think yous special, right? How bouts we hand yous over to the Shadows, huh? They’re not tos happy with yous right now!”

“That's not it, boss.” The Crippler was getting more and more wary. “Look at the tattoo underneath.”

Wheezer looked closer, and Mad was slightly confused. Wheezer seemed to be more idiotic then the average idiot, why did Crippler follow him around? Did Wheezer have a lot of money or something, since it was obvious that the Crippler should be leading them, not Wheezer.

Wheezer grabbed around the burn and pinched the picture, narrowing his eyes and squinting. As the skin shifted it burned, and Mad bit down on his lip to stop from making a sound. He glared at the knife in his face. He needed to stop getting in these situations. “Whataboutit?”

“You know the rumor goin’ round, boss.” The Crippler said. “Vipers been laughin’ for the past phu’ days. Said it’s something bouta Shadow queen.”

Wheezer wasn’t getting it, but Mad was, and it was pissing him off. So after the Vipers were done with him, they ran around boasting about what they’d done? Mad was going to kill many, many,  _ many _ people. “So?”

“So-“ The Crippler was definitely annoyed. “That tat. Never seen anything like it before. Looks like’a teardrop but black, and it’s got a Viper  _ brand _ over it. I think that tat is the Shadow’s tat.”

Wheezer stared blankly before laughing. “You’d think this is the Shadow’s Queen? The Shadow’s queen would’ve killed us by now.”

_ “I’m insulted that you think I’m that type of person.” _

The two thieves turned to look at him. His smile had turned into something dangerous. Wheezer didn’t seem to notice. “Don’t fuckin play with us, crippled.” He spat. The Crippler was starting to look wary. “You’d get killed fast pretendin’ to be that fucker- even faster than huggin’ a zombie.”

Mad ignored him, turning to the Crippler. The smarter man’s face was turning into dread. He had probably realized by now that Mad was much too calm in his situation, which meant that he wasn’t worried, which meant that he could get out whenever he wanted to. He knew. He wasn’t allowed to know. “You can’t forget what you’ve seen.”

Wheezer questioned him, but the Crippler had gone white. He was starting to shake, and his eyes were pleading. “I-I can try.”

“Not enough.” Mad smiled. It’s been a long time since he’s encountered someone where name alone scared them so badly. Sadly, no one can know. “No one can know.”

The Crippler’s eyes went wild, and in a last ditch attempt, brought up his knife and swung it down. Mad’s free normal hand went up and caught it, pulling it down past his face before pushing it back into the Crippler’s stomach. The man blanched, shaking, and Mad smiled. Then he took the knife and pushed it in deeper, until the Crippler collapsed.

He held onto the knife, so it fell out of his body when he fell. He wasted no time turning to Wheezer and driving the knife into his gut. When he looked up, the man was staring at him in shock. _ “You should’ve believed him.” _ Mad said simply.  _ “He was much smarter than you. Shame.” _

He pulled out the knife. Then stabbed him again. He pulled it out again. Then stabbed him again. Over and over again, at  _ least  _ 17 times before Mad stopped caring enough to count. He reasoned in his head that it was to make sure that the body was too destroyed to have the chance to turn into a zombie, but it really wasn't.

When he finally let the man go Wheezer was a bloody mess, more of a meat bag than a human. The Cripplier hadn't twitched, so he most likely wouldn't turn. Mad stumbled slightly before falling to the ground. He had to crawl over to his crutches.

When he finally got himself back up he grabbed his grocery bag (miraculously still intact) before heading back out. He made it out of the alley before a stinging sensation on his cheek made him reach up. Apparently, when the Crippler tried to truly cripple him, he had nicked his cheek when Mad pulled it away.

He wiped away the blood making it’s way down before shouldering the bag and making his way back.

He felt bad for a moment. Batman would have to wake up to dead friends. Well, they shouldn’t pick on a cripple. And sometimes, being too smart isn’t a good thing. They would’ve lived if Crippler hadn’t found out.

Mad snorted at his thoughts. Being  _ too  _ smart would never be a bad thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I should put a warning now for Mare. Let it be known that as long as Mare is charming people, he won't be a reliable narrator. Take his parts with a grain of salt.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recon failure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all of the lovely comments. I read all of them, and reply to a few as well. They make my day!

Mare shouldn’t do it. He really shouldn’t. There were many other ways he could do this, better ways, even, and this was unhealthy. He shouldn’t do it.

He was doing it.

When he reached the location given to him he quickly realized that the entire area was much too fortified for him alone. He wasn’t about to go in there if he didn’t need to.

He needed to know if ‘Theo’ was in there. He needed someone to tell him. Threatening might’ve work. He should’ve threatened them. It would work just as well, and Mare shouldn’t be doing this-

He took out his frustration on the man in front of him, hitting them in the gut before slamming their head against the wall. He subconsciously licked his lips before cursing. He really needs to stop doing that before it becomes a problem again. It was just… it gave him a rush. He had a type of manipulated control over people. Used correctly, it wasn’t anything to worry about, but he didn’t want to use it correctly anymore. He didn’t want to try and be good anymore. Good got him thrown in jail and got his best friend tortured. He wasn’t even good to begin with.

_ Sorry Mad, _ he thought, but didn’t know if he really meant it.  _ I’m done not using what I was given. _

He could’ve saved them all the trouble, back in the cafe. Without practice, it would’ve been hard, but doable. Mass charming everyone, letting Mad escape, he could’ve done it, consequences be damned for him. He’d fight every gang in Haven if he had to for Mad. just like he’d fight everyone  _ in _ Haven if he had to for his little brother. But when the time came, he was utterly useless.

He looked around. The unconscious guy (Rafe? Patrick? Eh-) didn’t know where Theo was. He needed to find someone else.

His eyes caught on a woman leaving the Viper warehouse, and he smiled. She would at least know if Theo was in there. He fixed up his clothes and left the unconscious man.

  
  


Anti spat as the wind blew a leaf into his mouth. “Ugh. I hate nature.”

Dark didn’t respond, crouched down low and looking out over to where the Maniacs had set up a temporary base. Next to a hill, several tents scattered around the area, all around a cave going into the hill. People in chains were being herded into the cave by gang members, like cattle going for slaughter.

Dark frowned, looking at their surroundings. They had set up a bit away in the trees, much too far to be noticed. Unlike the rest of Haven, the Maniac’s territory looked like the world outside the wall, overgrown and hostile. Sure, occasional trees dotted Haven, but with the increase in people over the years most trees were only located in parks. The Maniacs, however, had some clumps of forest sticking out between cracks in the asphalt.

“That tunnel probably leads to the docks.” Dark murmured, narrowing his eyes. They weren’t to far from the docks, but it would take at least an hour by foot. “They take them out of the city through there.”

Anti scowled. “That’s a big group of people. How many boats do they take?”

“They have a big tanker that could fit them all, but they most likely won't use it.” Dark replied. “I have assassins out in the gulf, and the last time they used that tanker we boarded and freed all their prisoners. They go in smaller speedboats most of the time, now.”

Anti grunted. “They’re the reason why Haven is growing so slowly.”

Dark hummed in agreement, looking down below one last time before getting up. “Let’s get a closer look.”

Anti looked at him like he was crazy, before shrugging. If Dark’s the one suggesting to be stupid, then he’d gladly follow.

  
  


There were a surprisingly low amount of members when they first snuck in, making it much too easy to slip through into the tunnel. Dark didn’t voice his suspicions, but the five minute silent creep through the cave let him have enough time to think about it.

Up ahead, several people were being lined up and pushed about by a Maniac. The quivering people all entered a line, and Dark could see where another Maniac was at the front of it. He inspected people as he passed, pushing the weaker ones down one tunnel and the stronger ones down another.

A few people later he stopped, rechecking the one in front of him. From a distance, it was hard to tell who it was, but it looked like a boy barely older than a teenager. Their age, most likely. The Maniac grabbed his chin, before smiling. “We got a pretty one here!”

The boy shook harder, but then two other Maniacs appeared and took him somewhere else entirely. Dark didn’t want to think about it.

“Good God.” Anti murmured. “This makes me sick.”

Dark counted the members. More than twenty of them, and that’s only in eye sight. They couldn’t risk showing themselves, no matter how much he wanted to shoot every Maniac in sight.

The Maniac checking people stepped off to the side for a moment to talk with a few others of that group. Dark took the distraction and grabbed Anti’s bicep, pulling him up and out towards the way the Maniacs had came from. They stayed to the shadows to hide themselves, but even with the protection Dark was half sure they would be caught. Surprisingly, no one saw them, or even looked over to where they were. And he could've sworn he saw the shadows move on their own.

They found the end of the line of prisoners, mostly unguarded. There was one lady hiding in a crevice in the wall, shaking and watching the Maniacs go by in terror. Dark brought her to Anti’s attention, before the both of them snuck over.

The lady almost decked them. Her hair was a long wavy brown, making her crystal blue eyes sparkle. Her clothes had a thin layer of dust on them, and her hair was clean for the most part, which differed from the other captured people here. She must be new.

“It’s okay now.” Dark quieted the lady, handing her a tissue he got from somewhere to wipe her eyes with. The lady sniffled, pushing back her brown hair and wiping her eyes. “We’re not with them. You’re safe.”

“Can you tell us what they were going to do with you?” Anti asked softly, crouching down.

She nodded. “Y-Yes.” She said. “But it’s not safe here.”

Dark nodded, holding out a hand. “Let's go then.”

They had just started to leave when there were two loud, sharp sounds and Dark was suddenly on his stomach, something very hard and forceful pushing him in the ground and probably bruising his back.

He’s been hit by a bullet before while wearing protection. He knows the feeling.

Anti cursed as he probably fell to the ground as well, and Dark turned to his back just to see the lady from before, holding a gun to each of their heads. Oh no. “I aimed for the armor the first time, but next time I will shoot to kill.”

“God damnit, woman!” Anti grunted. “What the fuck? We just freed you!”

The woman pouted, not taking her guns off them. “You don’t recognize me? I’m hurt.” More Maniacs poured from the tunnel, seven or so in total. “I’ll tell you, I really was surprised when I saw you two here, we had this set up for other people. You two are a  _ much _ better catch, though!”

“Who are you?” Anti grunted, growling at the men holding his arms back as they searched and confiscated his weapons. Dark was still as they did the same to him.

Now that they were weaponless, the lady tucked the guns away, completely hidden from sight. She pulled something else out of her bag. A mask. “Does this help?” She placed it over her face.

It was a mask Dark’s only seen on one person, ever.

The Maniac queen.

  
  


They reach the end of the tunnel before the queen told them to stop.

Once their weapons were gone, the queen took them for her own, pocketing them with a gleam in her eye. Now, though, she had taken back out her guns. “Well, this was fun.”

Seven shots rang through the air and Dark stiffened. When he finally opened his eyes, the Maniacs around him had fallen, each with a clean shot through the head and heart. Efficiently halting any kind of turning from the group. He looked at the queen, incredulous.

“What?” She traced a gun barrel with her fingernail. “They knew who I was. Now,  _ move it!” _

As they made it out of the tunnel, more Maniacs appeared. “Nera!” One called, but it was obviously not the queen’s real name, since she took so long to respond. “Our plan went off the rails, the target escaped.”

“It’s fine.” The queen responded. “We’ll get them later.”

The man who had spoken looked slightly confused, before looking at Dark and Anti. He looked at the other Maniacs, and then at some of the other prisoners, one being the boy from before. “These two? I don’t know if they’d make the cut. Our clients don’t like scars.” He gestured to the one on Anti’s neck (a childhood accident) and one on Dark’s jaw. Anti bristled at what was being assumed. “Maybe it can be overlooked?”

“They’re not for that.” The queen snapped, as if irritated before smiling. “These two are much more important than our targets.” The queen said. “Get them properly tied up, waist up. I want Yugene to do it as well. Set them someplace that they cannot touch. We move out in an hour.” She smiled as she walked (practically skipped) away from them. “Bye boys! Oh, Valentine is going to enjoy this!”

Wherever they were had a scenic view of the docks and ocean. It was a grassy cliff, obviously barely used from the gravel pathway used to drive cars up. The base made here was still hidden, even with it's height. Large tents filled with everything scattered the cliff clearing, wooden poles sticking up from the ground every now and then. A few had people tied to them, skinny people who flitched when someone came close.

Anti’s frown deepened as they passed more people like this, turning into a sneer after a while. “This is disgusting.” He whispered.

The Maniac pushing him forward pushed him harsher with his weapon.

Yugene was apparently a really short guy who spoke in only the thickest of accents. He was good with a knot, though, Dark had to admit. By the time he was done his hands could only rotate and shifting at all caused rope burn. His legs were free, but running was definitely impossible.

“Isn’t Yugene great?” The queen had appeared again, after they had been tied rather loosely to poles a few feet apart, facing each other. “Not even I can get out of his knots. And if I can’t, you definitely can’t.”

“I liked you better when you had a mask on.” Anti grumbled, not caring for the burn marks he would get from all the struggling he was doing. He was making a big show of it, for some reason. “A lot more diplomatic.”

“Why are we here?” Dark instead asked, face set on a glare. “Being on your territory does not have a punishment harsh enough for you to tie us up.”

She pouted. “I don’t know, I’ll guess we’ll have to talk about it next meeting.” She tapped her chin. “Let’s see, the Vipers will agree with us, and even if the Boomers don’t, that’s a 2 to 1 vote! Seems like what you think doesn’t matter anymore.”

“She’s like a perky psychopathic cheerleader.” Anti murmured.

“I cheered in my youth.” She waved the question off, keeping her eyes on Dark. “Now, while we have extra time, what are you doing in our lil ole territory?”

Dark shrugged. “I wanted to show Anti that my side of the docks was nicer than your side. Must’ve taken the wrong turn.”

Suddenly there was a gun pointed at him, and the queen’s eyes had gone hard, angry, cold, and crazy. “This is not the time to be joking around~” She sang. “What. Were. You. Planning?”

Dark shrugged, keeping his face passive. “We really didn’t have much of a plan.” He lied. “We heard that you were giving a few of our men trouble down here while they were trying to work, so we thought we’d check it out.”

The queen wrinkled her nose, much more expressive without a mask. “We told you long ago that we didn’t want either of your men taking jobs down here.”

On terms of losing any men who were down here. That’s why Dark didn’t take jobs in the Maniac territory. “It was an emergency call, and unlike others, I don’t leave my men to die.”

The queen scoffed. “Being sentimental helps no one. This is good, this is actually very good.” She smiled, spinning in a circle with a laugh before stopping. “You are both down here, who is taking care of your base? Your queens?” She turned to Anti, tapping the side of his face with her gun. “Your Queen might be talented, but can he stand up to the entirety of the Vipers? He’d be too busy dealing with their queen to help your crumbling gang. He’d be overwhelmed.”

Anti’s eyes caught Dark, and they flashed before the man struggled some more. Dark didn’t understand what he wanted but he could get that Anti wanted the attention off of him. “Like that would happen.” Dark scoffed, taking her eyes back to him. Anti flashed him a thankful grin. “The Septics may lack the manpower the Vipers have, but one of them could easily take out five Viper lackeys, not mentioning their assassins, operatives, and third. Even if the Septic Queen was too busy to help out, even if Karlson was with them, the Septics would be the one coming out victorious.”

The queen turned fully to him, sneering. Behind her, Anti yanked his arms once, pain flashing on his face as he bit his lip. After a moment, he smirked. “Or maybe we could go after the Shadows, hmm?” The queen asked, and Dark glared. “Your queen is much to hurt to fight right now, isn’t he? Oh, are you still trying to pretend that he’s an operative?” She faked a pout. “But can we really even say he’s a true Shadow anymore? I mean, that Viper mark is bigger than his Shadow tattoo, who’s to say which side he’s on?”

That hit the soft spot she’s been trying to get. Dark almost growled, glaring harshly at the queen in front of him. “So you  _ were _ involved with that plot.” He hissed. 

“Of course we were.” The queen snorted. “You knew that. I just wish  _ we _ had the branding idea! I’ve been wanting to try it out ever since we heard of what happened, but doing it to regular people isn’t fun at all.” She tilted her head, turning back to Anti. “What do you say dear? Our mark isn’t much different from yours.”

“Oh fuck off.” Anti grumbled, hiding any pain from earlier well. “I’m done speaking to the Harley Quinn wannabe. Where’s Valentine?”

Now, of course, she had no clue who this Harley was, but it was obvious to see that he was insulting her. “You’ll see him soon.” She said curtly, before walking away.

Anti waited until she was out of sight, and then waited a few more minutes before grinning. He held up a freely untied, rubbed raw and bleeding left hand. The ropes loosened, and he shimmied out of them, almost crawling over to Dark to untie him.

“Good one.” Dark commented after his first hand was free. Now that Anti could see what he was doing, he could completely untie Dark. In only a minute, he was out.

They both crouched down to avoid drawing attention. Anti held his damaged hand, flexing his fingers weakly to see how hurt he was. After a moment, the hand clenched into a fist. “It hurts like hell but nothing’s broken, cut or torn, besides the skin.” He said after a moment. “I’m surprised that the Maniacs seemed to forget. Blood’s a great lubricant.”

They got the hell up outta there.

  
  
  


The door to the newly acquired apartment opened with a creak, and Mad took a step forward. He set his bag on the kitchen counter before opening his trash can and dumping the fruitcake his neighbors had left outside as a welcome to the complex gift. He never ate anything that came from anyone besides his friends or himself. 

He scratched his cheek, careful not to scratch off the scab that was forming over his cut. He winced as he leaned against the counter, staring at nothing. The clock ticked slowly. His head started to ache. His trash can fell over.

Headache now gone, he picked up the trash and put away the food he had just gotten. Going for a drink, he thought against it and moved away from the kitchen entirely.

He found himself laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. It wasn’t really his bed. It was too hard, not worn in enough. It was stiff and springy. He’d only been able to sleep on it before because he was too injured to care.

He shifted, using his hand for a pillow while glaring at the too hot too airy pillows half a foot away. The clock slowly ticked on. The man listened to it in annoyance.

He heard it crash to the ground moments later, but didn’t bother going to clean up. Weird stuff happened around him, and he gave up looking for answers a long time ago.

Settling, he closed his eyes, hoping for some sleep.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The broken clock ticked on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This early chapter is brought you to by the Coronavirus and the comments making me happy.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The abandoned lab in Maniac territory...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hidden subplot is a go people! It's a go!

Mare arrived back on Tuesday, grinning a type of grin that made Mad wary.

“Hey.” Was all Mad said.

“Hey.” Mare repeated before arching an eyebrow. “...are you not going to ask?”

“Don’t need to.” Mad shrugged, trying to keep his anger down about being left behind. “You obviously went to the Vipers to kill someone, probably whoever had tipped off the cops about us.”

Mare glanced at the clock on the wall. It’s face was gone. Huh. “You're right.” He said slowly, trying to get a feel for the situation. Mad was much too stiff. “I found one of the men and had them lead me to the others. They knew your face.”

Mad frowned. “I can take care of that.”

“With these?” Mare made a baffled expression as he pointed to the crutches. “You’re hurt, it’s better if someone looks after you.”

“Look- look after me?” Mad barked out a laugh, visibly angry now. “You wanted to look after me, so you left? Did you want to avenge me, or something? That’s not how you look after someone! I got _mugged_ while you were gone. I had to kill two of them, and I didn’t regret it then but I do now! They could’ve had family they left behind! Is that what you meant by looking after me? Leaving me to fend for myself when I actually _really need you?”_

Mare stood frozen for a second, mouth agape. Mad sighed. Obviously, he had shown too much. Taken it too far. “And then you make me speak about feelings! What kinda friend does that?”

Mare unfroze, an easygoing -if a little bit sad- smile graced his lips. He had the decency to look sheepish. “Sorry.”

Mad got up, ignoring Mare’s outstretched hand holding a crutch. He had kept to a schedule, and like the doctors said, he could walk on his own by Monday. Honestly, he was able to walk by Sunday morning, but he’s also a _very_ fast healer. “Do you want a drink?”

“No.” Mare said, before moving to the kitchen too. He apologized again. And again.

“Can you not shut up?” Mad hissed.

“Not until you say something about my apology.” Mare pouted, and he looked at Mad. For a second, Mad was sure that Mare’s eyes had flashed, and that his smile had gone sinister. A shadow loomed behind him.

Mad forced himself to stay calm, more upset that he still saw something then actually scared. That pointed to trauma, which he _really_ didn't need at the moment. "I'm not just going to accept your apology just because you want me to."

Mare frowned again, this time real. He looked frustrated, which Mad didn't understand. The genius turned away, done with talking, and grabbed a drink from the fridge.

While he looked for something to quench his thirst, something weird started up in his chest. It didn't hurt, more like it was a ball of emotions waiting to burst. He mentally groaned, pushing it down. He didn't want to deal with it right now.

The emotions pushed back. Mad frowned, feeling the start of a headache coming on.

"Are you okay?" Mare asked curiously, since Mad had stood up, hand to head. At some point the other man had moved to sit at the counter, leaning over it.

"Yeah, just-" the emotions seemed to push forward, and his headache roared to life. The clock fell off the wall again, this time breaking completely with a loud crack. Mare jumped, startled, practically falling off his chair.

Mad stared at it, despondent, as his headache faded. With it, the surge of emotions. He had a feeling that those emotions were anything but normal.

He didn't dare look over at his companion as he grabbed a bottle of whatever strong stuff he had stocked earlier and whatever cup was closest. He still didn't look over as he went to his room, closing the door behind him.

  
  
  


They hadn’t made it far before a commotion went through the base. Dark watched through the safety of trees as the base alarm went up, and man started running about, searching. Most likely for them.

Anti held his hurt wrist and mumbled. “I take it back. I think I may have broken something.”

Dark hid back a sigh and turned around. From what Mad’s lectured him on in human anatomy (he wished he paid better attention back then, but they were, like, 15, and Dark didn’t _care-)_ there are several different bones in the wrist, bundled together like a woven blanket. He wasn’t to sure if that meant that each bone would break separately, and if that was better or not, so he just decided to look at it as if he understood. His wrist was torn up, blood leaking out of several scrapes and cuts. The blood had been smeared up to his fingers and down to his elbow, as well as across to his other wrist, and was now drying. The wrist in question hung limply, torn skin stretched out slightly. Yep, something was wrong there.

He cursed, before turning back around. Lucky for them, he and Anti (as well as Mad and Mare) healed rather quickly. Just as Mad only needed maybe two weeks to be fully healed, Anti would only need maybe a week to be fine, and probably only two days before he could completely use that hand again. "Try your best to keep it still."

"Well duh." Anti hissed a reply, more hurt then angry. Dark didn't take it to heart.

“They’re coming this way.” He observed after a second, taking a step back. “Let’s go.”

They both turn tailed and moved, going through the patch of trees as cover. Unluckily, the overgrowth didn’t last long (they _were_ still in Haven) and soon they were stumbling out, back towards the main territory of the Maniacs.

Anti snapped his head back and forth, listening in as Maniacs approached from the thicket of trees. His head shot up when he looked towards a sinking building a few yards to his right. The place was completely inhabitable, and probably reeked, but something about it gave him pause. Something about it made him shiver, made the light posts flicker. His hand glazed Dark’s shoulder as he pointed towards the building. “In there!”

Dark glanced at the place, before looking back, intrigued. His eyes, too, seemed to flash, and it felt like the shadows around him were watching. That, of course, was impossible.

They made their way over and ducked into the building, going further back to avoid being spotted. They waited several minutes after they heard the man move by.

Anti went to move back out, when Dark caught his arm. Something deeper in the building was calling to him, humming like his mother used to. He didn’t bother informing his best friend that he was going farther in. He was just following the sound.

He came upon a door with a handprint scanner. Using a hunch, he places his hand against it. The scanner wrapped around his hand, holding him still before pricking him and retracting, faster than Dark could've moved to stop it. The door hummed before clicking open.

Anti appeared behind him. “This is strange.”

Dark had to agree, eyeing the abandoned lab hidden in Maniac territory.

  
  


“This place hasn’t seen a duster in years.” Anti comments, blowing dust away from one of the shelves. He ran his finger over an old computer, rubbing the dirt he caught on his thumb.

“An asthmic nightmare.” Dark agreed, opening up a drawer full of files. He picked one at random and opened it. A surprised grunt left him, and he skimmed the rest of the files in the drawer before turning to Anti. “These are all about project ancestor.”

Anti moved over, scanning his own file. “These are old. Older then we-“ he paused, face going blank.

“It’s like the precursor to the project of now.” Dark said, before turning to his friend. “What?”

Slowly, he pointed to the head scientist. The name was familiar. Very familiar. “That’s Mad’s mom.” Anti swallowed thickly, before turning to the several names scribbled underneath. “And there's Mare’s. And yours. And mine.”

Dark’s eyebrows furrowed. “That makes no sense.” He insisted. “Our moms didn’t work together, and they weren’t scientists.”

Anti had stopped listening, and had instead started to flip rapidly through his file. “They were tasked by the Maniacs to create immunes.” He whispered, before looking up. “They _were_ Maniacs.”

Dark raked through his memories, panic growing with every thought of his mother. Always in long sleeved shirts. Always hiding skin. He pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at his file, the second one in the project. “The date.” He said. “This was started a year and a half before I was born.”

Anti gave him a hard, scared, look. After a moment, he put his own file back and picked up one of the last files in the drawer, labeled number 23. He checked it, before going through the whole thing. After a moment, he took out a page and handed it over.

It was him. Baby him, sure, less than a year old, but it was him. His name was just a code. His mom’s name was there as well, as was his dad’s. Right next to it, _‘unknown affiliations’_.

Underneath it, in bold. _‘Weak Immunity. Mutation occurred. Scheduled for termination.’_

He stared at the paper for a few minutes. Anti didn’t try to stop him- he just looks at him with a strange sympathy. Of course it was strange, he just learned he was a lab experiment-

He dropped the file, letting it fall to the ground as he scanned the drawer. He plucked out the last three files, scanning them briefly before handing file number 24 to Anti.

His friend took it warily, as if he already knew what was in it. _Anti. ‘Weak Immunity. Mutation occurred. Scheduled for termination.’_

There was one for Mad and Mare as well.

“This is crazy.” Anti breathed. “This… this doesn’t happen in real life.”

“That’s what people use to say about zombies.” Dark murmured, looking through his file again. From the tests and experiments done prenatal, to the examines and results after he was born. They were all here, wasting away in a closed off abandoned lab.

Anti finished his file before pausing, face in deep thought before he turned back to the drawer, shuffling through files. After a moment, he pulled one out and scanned it. He looked around the room before setting the file down and walking towards a corner covered in drapes.

“What is it?” Dark asked as he followed. Anti didn’t answer, instead taking the drape and pulling it down. Underneath the fabric sat a cylindrical container a few feet taller than Dark. Suspended in the middle was a sphere of what looked to be metal, except for the fact that it rippled and glowed like red lava was cracking through its surface. Next to the container sat a metal box, another container.

The humming was coming from the sphere.

He had a strange urge to grab it.

Dark saw the paper taped up on it before Anti did, and picked it up with his normal hand. It was a note, in a hasty scribble.

_To whoever finds this,_

_Please, destroy this entire lab. We didn’t know what the end result was for when we started. We deleted all of our data from the Maniac's servers, and the only copies available are in this room. Please, destroy it all. Children will be in danger if you don’t._

_Thank you_

He handed the note over before studying the strange sphere. There was no hazard signs, so he guessed it wasn’t dangerous. Glancing down, he picked up the small box, holding it in one hand before opening the container with the sphere. Whatever this was, Mad would love it.

He waited a moment to see if anything would happen before sticking a hand into the container.

He yanked it out moments later. His face was one of pure shock.

“What?” Anti asked, slightly panicked. “You good?”

He shook his head, making sure Anti could see as he stuck his hand back in, silent.

“Holy shit…” His friend murmured.

Dark’s hand was gone. Instead, puffy shadows the shape of his hand took over. He flexed his fingers, and the shadow moved instead. The closer he got, the more of his arm turned into shadows. He pulled his hand out. He swallowed slowly. “When they said mutation…”

_When they said mutation, they meant monstrosity._

Anti’s eyes widened. “I read in one of those files about a catalyst our moms made. It was off the books, and the files said they intended to use it to ‘better stabilize our mutation.’”

“They call that stabilizing?” Dark murmured, watching as Anti slid up to the opening, sticking his hand in. His hand seemed to turn into static, like he was part of code. They shared a look, before Anti pushed forward and grabbed the sphere.

For a single second, his entire body had warped.

But then it was over, and Anti’s glitched arm took the sphere out of the container, dropping it into the box container Dark was holding.

His hands turned into shadow before they closed the container. The box fell out of his hands.

Anti cursed, dropping down and closing the container. Instantly, they were back to normal.

They took a few moments to digest.

“Well…” Anti said after a while. “That explains your shadow affixation.”

Dark cracked a small smile, but it was gone quickly. “Pack everything up.” He ordered. “We need to go home.”

“I think we need to have a little chat before that, don’t you?”

Dark’s hands closed around the first weapon he could find, a broken chair leg, as Anti balled his fists. They spun around to face a man they’ve seen many times before.

Except, he wasn’t in the room.

Dark wrinkled his nose, before looking around. An old monitor, connected to the camera at the top of the room, had turned on. A dusty image of the Maniac king filled the screen. Dark, for a second, hoped that it was just a recording, but that was obviously not the case.

“Thank you for finally getting the door unlocked.” Valentine murmured with a smile. “It was coded in for living DNA of our scientists, which we didn’t know until after I had them killed.”

The screen glitches and the lights flickered. The shadows on the walls seemed to grow. _“You what?”_ Anti growled.

Valentine wasn’t impressed. “They knew too much.” He said simply. “And they took away some of the only people who could cure my beloved. I didn’t care too much at the time- your true abilities hadn’t grown in yet and your blood was only strong enough to protect yourself, if only barely. You hadn’t even tapped into ancestral knowledge. I ordered that attack when I realized that their other kids had been born fully immune. But-“

 _“Why are you monologuing?”_ Anti hissed. _“Do you want to die faster?”_

“I’m perfectly safe where I am.” Valentine leaned closer, tilting his head slightly. “If only I’d realize sooner. If only I had those files when you first completed the third ceremony. You never would’ve made it that far. I’m guessing your queens are the other two experiments?”

_“Like we’d fucking tell you.”_

Valentine smirked. "Karlson had told me that your queen, Dark, was most definitely one of the ones I was looking for, but I hadn't believed him at first. I wish I had a chance to see it for myself before you took him back."

Dark scowled, hopeing to put him under the ground with his stare. So the Vipers really just told the Maniacs everything, huh? "Watch your fucking mouth."

He chuckled. "Calm down, you can't hurt me here " he sighed. "You both act like complete children- I forget that you're kings."

"At least we have morals." Anti spat. 

"So did your mothers." Valentine smirked. "And look at where those got them. If they hadn't ran, if they had just shown me that video- well, you could've all lived happily in the Maniac district."

Anti snorted, pissed. He highly doubted that, if whatever video he's talking about was so scary to their mothers. Dark, on the other hand, had controlled himself. It was obvious that Valentine was trying to enrage them. But Dark knew that they had the upper hand. They had the files that Valentine wanted. They had the leverage. “It’s a small world after all.” He murmured, and the thought of his little brother as a baby humming that tune over and over again soothed him. “What do you mean, cure your beloved?”

Valentine’s face hardened, and he scowled. “My men will be there to take that sphere off your hands in a few minutes. My new scientists are very interested in your late mothers’ work, and they don’t have the same morals.”

The video didn’t click off, but at that moment Anti _growled,_ and the computer glitches and fuzzes up, breaking down and turning off. Dark only took a moment to stare before grabbing a bag off the table, emptying it, and stuffing everything and anything in it. They didn’t have much time. “Hold the sphere.”

Anti didn’t respond, still glaring at the tv. “Anti, Hold the sphere.”

No response. One of Anti’s eyes had gone a bit green. “Hold the fucking sphere Anti!”

Anti blinked, snapping out of it, before grabbing the container. Dark stuffed the last of the files he could find away before turning and leaving, shutting and hopefully sealing the door behind them. They’d be back.

After they killed Valentine.

  
  
  


Dark realized with an annoyed but slightly amused smirk that his mental death list was growing longer and longer as time went by. He really needed to start cutting it down again.

  
  
  


When Mad finally came out of his room, he seemed hell bent on ignoring whatever had happened earlier. Mare had thrown away the clock and had sat on the counter, taking the next strongest drink Mad had stocked for his own.

Needless to say, both were at least slightly buzzed, which might have helped with the following conversation, but neither of them were drunk whatsoever. Both were too high strung to allow that at the moment.

“I think we’re in something way over our heads right now.” He started off, and Mare honestly wanted to punch him. The man had a problem with having conversations half in his head and only saying half of it out of his head.

“Elaborate.” Mare but the bottle down. He, unlike Mad, didn’t have the grace or care to put his drink into a cup- he just drank straight from the source.

Mad flicked his wrist, making his hand wave to nothing in the air. He winced, as if someone still hurt when he did it, before frowning deeply and refilling his cup. Mare should stop him, Mad didn’t like to drink. He didn’t stop him. “This entire plot against us. They’re after immunes, but what else? What else do they want, and how important can it be for what they’ve already done? I hate to admit it, but we’re doing this blind. I don’t understand it. We need help, from other people.”

“Ok…” Mare put down the bottle, snatching Mad’s cup at the same time, ignoring the protest. “Who?”

He put his hand on his chin and leaned against the counter. “I’m thinking the Boomers.”

  
  
  


“Why are you driving?”

“Cause I got to this seat first!”

Dark frowned as he threw the bag into the back and got into the passenger seat. Anti barely waited for him, slamming on the gas and heading straight towards Boomer territory. They can lay low in Boomer's territory for a week or so, but they weren't going back to Maniac's.

Dark decided to put his faith in the other man’s driving skills, and started looking through the first folder. “Huh.”

“What?” Anti asked.

“This file says that project ancestor was started for this woman named Luna. Apparently, she was bitten one day, but the immune blood came in too late. It kept her from turning, but the virus had taken hold already. She had to get new doses of immune blood twice each month, but she was still dying. The project was trying to find immune blood strong enough to completely get rid of the virus.” Dark looked at the papers with interest.

“Really?” Anti looked over. “This is all for one girl? There's gotta be something else.”

Dark glanced both ways as the car entered Boomer territory, ducking his head when an obvious watchman stared after them, hand on a comm. “It is strange. They have a bit of the girl’s information-“ he winced. “She was apparently pregnant when it happened.”

“Oh, poor child.” Anti murmured, and Dark couldn’t tell if he was actually sad. “When did this happen?”

“2313.” Dark murmured. “A few years before us. They’ve been looking for a cure for almost 30 years now.” He reread the name, rechecked the picture, before freezing. "Anti. What's Valentine's full name?"

"Hmm Valentine Bleu, I think." Anti didn't realize Dark's freeze up. Dark looked back at the picture, taking it out of the file. The woman had wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes. Anti glanced at it. "She looks familiar."

"She looks like the Maniac queen." Dark started, and Anti almost drove off the road. "The Maniac queen also looks like Valentine." The man had blonde hair instead of brown, but his eyes were the same tone of blue as the Queen's, and the similarities didn't end there. "The patient's full name is Luna Marie Bleu." He looked up. "I'm willing to bet that the queen was the baby she had when she was bitten."

  
  
  


Everything seemed mostly normal when they finally arrived back in Shadow territory a week later. Mad was almost back to perfect health, and Mare seemed more normal then he had when they left. Anti wondered about that.

Since the apartment was the most covert, Anti brought up the topic on his mind there.

He placed the clear container holding the catalyst on the kitchen counter. “Our moms were Maniacs.”

Mad dropped his bagel. Mare tripped and fell. After a moment, they both looked at him like they were angry that he was joking.

“It’s true.” Dark grimaced. “We found their lab.”

“Our moms didn’t work together, though.” Mare said, frowning as he picked himself up. Mad sat down in a bar chair, taking the last seat. Mare hopped up onto the counter. “They didn’t know each other before we were friends.”

Dark shook his head, handing each of them their own files. They took it warily, confused and anxious.

He gave them a few minutes before continuing. “We all thought that Mare’s ability was just some trick he had. Turns out that wasn’t the case.”

Mare looked like he wanted to argue, but Mad spoke first. “ _‘When exposed to the catalyst-‘_ what catalyst?”

Anti gestured to the sphere. Mare stared at it, before growling. “You guys leave for a few weeks and then _come back_ saying our parents weren’t actually who they said they were and you just expect us to-“

Anti ignored him, instead opening the container and sticking his hand closer to it.

Several things happened at once.

Since the container was smaller and didn’t hold as much of the catalyst’s energy, the catalyst’s reach went much farther. Anti’s entire arm, up to his shoulder, turned to static. As did most of Dark’s body. Mare didn’t change, but Mad fell to the floor, clutching his head. 

“What the fuck?!” Mare’s voice had changed, though, going into something deeper and smoother and overall more appealing. He didn’t seem to notice as he dropped down to Mad’s side, cautiously eyeing his fucked up friends. Were they his friends? Maybe they were demons in disguise.

Mad flinched away from his touch, groaning and pulling at his hair. “My head!” He moaned. “It’s going to explode!”

Glasses and mugs started to fall off the counter, shattering. Books flew off the shelf. Mare glared at… whatever was in Anti. **“Close it!”**

Anti couldn’t of denied him even if he wanted to.

The room went still when he closed it. The books fell to the ground, and mugs and glasses stopped shaking. It was quiet save for Mad’s ragged breaths.

Then he looked up. “Fascinating.” He murmured, standing up on wobbly legs and grabbing the box of files in one hand. He hesitated for only a moment before grabbing the container. “I’ll see you all later.”

He disappeared into his room.

Mare watched him go, mouth still agape. “I…” He paused, looking like a truly lost child. “I need a moment.”

He disappeared into his room, and Dark sighed, relaxing against his chair. “I think we all need a moment.” They had known for a week and still the new information never really took hold, until now.

It was quiet as their adventure finally took solid hold in their heads. They stared at the ground in a broken sort of shock as everything went spiraling down on their heads.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rule book for the gangs is important.  
> Not because of the punishments set in place for those who break the rules.  
> But because of exactly who does the punishment.
> 
> The Boomers may be neutral, but they are not to be underestimated.  
> Do not get on their bad side.

If people looked back on the week before, most would say it was an average week. They’d say that nothing really happened and they don’t remember it. They wouldn’t bring up the fact that that was all a lie, that they do remember it, and that nothing was average.

Because that was the week before the Septic’s annual party for the upper class.

Ever since the Septics first threw this gathering, people of all classes tried to sneak their way in, with little to no luck. It was very different from the Shadow’s ball, invitation only for one, wealthy only for two. Every businessman who was someone or was making their way somewhere appeared. Not showing up was more damaging than anyone could imagine. Not being invited could ruin your entire business.

Being invited could send you down a path to riches.

Which was why everyone and their mother always tried their best to get in, no matter what. The Septics usually chose a few young entrepreneurs or talented people to come. These people always had booming business or rising fame only days after attending the party.

So yes, this party was a big deal.

Anti partly came back to start helping organize said party, but he and Dark also knew that the meeting from before had been rescheduled for a few days before the party. Anti forced himself not to be irritated- he and Dark were the main reasons for the postponement net- but it was hard. The kings and queens knew that the party was so close!

Which was why only hours before the meeting he was at the site, starting to get things ready as always. The top floor of the building was as artfully maintained as always. The floor was somewhat like a penthouse, just less everything and more living room. There were two bedrooms, a kitchen tucked in between that, a scattering of bathrooms, and then just room after room of space made for a big audience. Anti let a few people live here (an older woman and her teenage granddaughter and kid grandson who came from Maniac territory) year round for free, as long as they kept the place clean. They’d be staying in the Septic base until the party planning and party itself was over, but they had done their jobs well. The place was spotless. The little boy had even made him a drawing, something a lot better then what his brother draws, even though the boy is two years younger then Jack. He made sure not to forget to rub it in next time he saw the midget.

He missed him.

Swamped with the extra work of the party and the shock of his past being a lie had him only _slightly_ stressed.

He only stopped thinking about it when Mare grabbed his shoulder. “We have to get going.” He murmured, voice a deep, gravelly thing. He has a bruise forming on his jaw, and Anti guessed it was from whatever talk he and Mad had earlier. His outfit wasn’t a costume, this time all black and red, like he was trying to show with colors how angry he was.

Anti hoped it worked.

  
  


It was a few hours before the gang meeting and Mad had dragged Mare all the way out to the apartment and into his room, closing the door behind him. Mare felt like he was a kid in trouble again, which meant that this wasn't going to go well.

Mad crossed his arms. “What’s going on with you?”

Mare hid his panic behind an easy smile. He knew immediately what Mad was getting on about, it wasn't too hard to notice the difference. He would be upset if he learned. He just had to be… distracted. “Nothing.” He stepped closer to his friend. “There’s just been a lot on my mind.”

“Oh.” Mad lost some of his temper, but he still looked wary. “Want to talk about it?”

“I've never been one for talking,” Mare murmured. “But we can figure something out.”

He reached out for Mad's interest -something he's messed with _only once_ since that one sleepover- and tugged, harshly.

The effect was spontaneous (probably because he didn't try to ease into like he usually does). The other man’s face flushed, eyes going slightly hazy and his mouth parting. A small part of Mare felt guilty, but that part was pushed back by the power. His friend, always so logical and so 'above it all'. It filled the bad part of him with satisfaction.

Mad's eyes suddenly narrowed. “Mare-“

He shushed the man, grabbing one of his wrists, thumb tracing over his pulse point. Smiling at the sharp intake of breath, he spoke. “Come on, you know you want to.”

When Mad didn’t respond, Mare sighed, letting go. “Alright. I guess-“

He didn’t get to finish, as he was kissed, hard. He was starting to smirk when suddenly Mad pulled him down, tripping him. He fell on the bed with a thud, and went to get up before a hand on his chest stopped him. Mad’s face was seething in anger. “You _have_ been charming people.”

“Want a gold star for figuring it out?” Mare spat, anger quickly taking hold over his confusion. “Yes, I have. Now, let me up!”

“Why?” Mad asked instead, head tilted in curiosity. His face was still flushed, but otherwise any other effect seemed to be nulled. A zap of anger went up his spine when he realized that Mad had faked it all.

“Because I want to.” He responded. “Why aren’t you affected?”

Mad snorted, and there was the superiority Mare **_hated._** “Your charm only ups interest. Albeit, by a lot but that’s all it does. It doesn’t affect me.”

Mare felt the hand on his chest lose some pressure, and took the opportunity. Grabbing his wrist, he yanked, making the other man lose balance. He rolled slightly to the side, pushing on the front of both his shoulders. Mad slammed into the headboard, and Mare followed quickly, placing his arm underneath the other’s neck.

“Aw.” Mare exaggerated his pout. “You wound me. But you also lie. My charm does work on you.”

“Not anymore.” Mad replied, frowning. He shifted, testing what movement he still had available.

Mare put a stop to that quickly. “How?” When Mad didn’t answer, his mood darkened. “How, Mad? Answer me, or I’ll make you answer.”

“Empty threat.” Mad said, and Mare knew he was wrong on that. The thing was, Mare knew that he could make Mad talk, because other people had before. Sure, he didn’t have the truth serum, but he didn’t think it would need to come to something like that. Pain seemed to work to an extent. How long had it been since Mad got that burn? Enough pressure would-

“I guess it is.” Mad sighed. “I did have hope in you. **_You promised.”_ **

Something in his words clicked in his head. He blinked, backing up slightly and removing his arm, frowning. Why the fuck did he do that? What the hell’s wrong with him?

Mad got up, cracking his neck as he did so. He looked disappointed. “Why?”

He took a second to answer. “I was in prison.” Mare said, guilt creeping down his neck. “I needed to get out, since I didn’t know if Dark and Anti had gotten your message.”

He arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms. “You couldn’t get out without charming someone?”

He… could’ve, and it would’ve been just the same difficultly, he just… wanted to do it that way. It didn’t look good for him.

When Mad figures he wasn’t going to get an answer, he sighed again, louder this time. “How many times?”

“Three,” Mare scratched the back of his neck. “Maybe four… probably five.”

Mad stared at him. Really stared. He blinked, and Mare tried to ignore the hurt he could see in his eyes. “I can't believe you... that you would... just to stop me from knowing! I would've helped you Mare!" Mad pauses, sighing and backtracking. Neither of them could deal with feelings right now, right before a meeting. "I should punch you. Repeatedly.”

“Let’s spar instead!” Mare said enthusiastically, hiding the horror and guilt stuck in his throat. The look he was getting wasn’t something to laugh at.

“Sparring includes safety gear.” Mad said, frown turning hard. “Let’s fight.”

“You're still injured.”

“Doctor said I’m fine.”

“I bet he also said not to do any strenuous activities.”

“Funny, coming from you.”

“What? How?”

“Five minutes ago _you_ were trying to get me to do a strenuous activity.”

“Oh… yeah.” Mare rubbed the back of his neck before licking his lips. Mad’s eyes caught his movement, before narrowing. He knew his habit too. And it was having the opposite of a calming effect.

Mare bolted for the door. He didn’t make it.

  
  
  


The meeting was going as expected- horrible.

The Maniac queen had taken to staring at Dark and Anti, and even with a mask, it was easy to tell that she was smiling. Dark masked his face, knowing if he talked it would just escalate the conversation. Let the queens handle it.

“I think we should write new border rules.” The queen changed the conversation. “Crossing the border without direct notice should be punishable.”

She was staring at Dark, as if thriving in the fact that she had leverage. Mad scoffed, crossing his (though they looked very feminine today) arms. “You are talking about how the Septic and Shadow kings visited you recently, I assume?” He tilted his masked head. “Well then, I guess while we’re doing that, we should make holding someone against their will when in another territory punishable as well.”

By this time, Valentine, Karlson, and the Viper Queen were looking at the Maniac queen, who had stiffened. They obviously didn’t know that the queen had caught Anti and Dark earlier. Mad tutted. “Oh, did you not tell them about the warm welcome? Communication is key, Maniac queen.”

The queen was still, and it was hard to see any emotion through all of the clothes, but Mad knew he hit something there.

“Border rules can be discussed later.” The Viper queen broke in. “It has come to our attention that the few blocks of neutral land between us and the Septics has been claimed by a new growing… group. They call themselves the Wraiths, and they are keen on joining us.”

Dark furrowed his eyebrows, suspicious. As far as he knew, there wasn’t any free land in Haven, besides where a prison landed. And from the looks on Anti and Evelyn’s faces, they didn’t know either.

“Really?” Mare said lightly, but with a tone of annoyance. “Do they meet the criteria?”

The Viper nodded. “Yes.” They said, before tilting their head to the door. “They’re actually waiting for us to end this meeting. They’re most… excited for the third ceremony.”

“Have they already completed the first two ceremonies?” The Boomer queen asked, and everyone looked attentive, because this was actually _very_ important.

“They did. Incredibly well.” They said. “For their size, they sure are competent.”

Mad stayed relaxed, even though a nagging thought had clutched him. “Do they have an option picked out?”

“Yes.” The queen said. “They want to duel the Shadow queen.”

Of course. He felt more than saw Dark stop a grimace, and he definitely heard Mare mutter something under his breath. Mad spoke before the others could. “After this meeting?”

The Viper queen twitched, a movement in itself wasn’t big but it flowed off their feather light robes. “They commanded it.”

Mad narrowed his own eyes behind the mask. No one commanded a queen to do anything. Either this was fake, or these Wraiths were an actual threat.

“Well, they’ll have to learn to curve their own excitement.” Mare said, without an ounce of emotion in his words, and it looked like the Viper queen _agreed_ with him. “They cannot expect us to conform around _their_ schedule.”

Mad’s hand went up to silence him, stopping the other man from speaking anymore. “Normal rules?”

“Of course.” The Viper queen nodded, mask eerie in the dull light. “Are you sure that you’re up to it?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” He asked, forcing as much innocent curiosity into his voice as possible. He's pretty sure that the Viper queen didn’t care, but it was obvious that everyone in that room knew the truth about what had happened a few weeks ago. Everyone knew what happened to the queen. But only the Vipers knew that it was Mad under the mask. He didn’t intend to give them any more ammunition.

He relished in the hooded glare Evelyn shot the queen before continuing. “As per customary, I choose the Septics as witness and the Boomers as Judge. Do you all accept?”

This time, Evelyn answered instead of her queen. She stepped forward. “I accept.”

Anti did the same, stepping forward. “I accept.”

The two stepped back, and the Boomer Queen spoke up next. “The location will be discussed between both parties at the end of our meeting. Now, what else must we touch upon?”

Mad crossed his arms, frowning as he leaned back on a motorcycle. It wasn’t his but he was using it nonetheless. He watched the other members of the meeting slip away, sparing him a few glances as they went. He didn’t care, he was just waiting for the Boomers.

“Due to recent events.” Speak of the devil, the queen stood right in front of him. “We want to hold the third ceremony somewhere protected. Would you accept one of our closer bases as the location?”

Mad stared at the queen for a long moment, thinking, before nodding. “I suppose so.” He murmured. “I hope you know your place.”

The queen seemed to take offense to that. “You chose us for the third ceremony.” They said. “And unlike… others, we take that trust seriously.”

Mad did another curt nod, taking the piece of paper handed to him and hopping on his bike. He caught Dark’s eye for a second, before catching Mare’s as well. Starting up his bike, he glanced at the address before stuffing the paper into his pocket and driving off.

He arrived twenty or so minutes later, immediately handing the paper to those out front guarding. They let him through warily, but did nothing more.

Evelyn had made it there before him. He thought she would go with her queen to the Wraiths. He wondered why she didn’t.

“This is a load of bull.” She muttered as she paced around the small office room. “The Wraiths? The _Wraiths?_ As if. There is no way a gang as powerful as that queen said it was could just pop up without me noticing! It's literally my job to know everything!”

Mad arched an eyebrow, even though she couldn’t see. “Sorry, Eve, but why are you telling me this?”

She rolled her eyes before leaving the room, prompting him to follow. “This is obviously a trick, but what the trick is, I can only guess. Do they think whoever this ‘new gang’s’ queen is can take you?”

“You’ve heard of my recent… ailment.” Mad sighed, following her to an empty room. There were two more doors, one on each side. He looked around, nonplussed.

Evelyn’s eyes flicked down to his arm, covered and hidden. “Did they really-?”

She trailed off, but Mad shrugged, nodding. “Not like anyone ever sees it.” He said. “Either way, my injuries are surprisingly not a problem. They most likely think that they did enough damage for me to be off my game if a challenge were to occur. Instead, I am almost completely healed. “

Evelyn tried to grin, but didn’t pull it off correctly. “This… isn’t a small spat that will fade away. It might be a war soon, and I don’t know if I can deal with it. I’m not my father, I don’t have his skills. I can’t lead an entire gang through it.”

Mad snorted. “Do you think we can?” He asked. “Eve, we’re only a year or so older than you. Do you think we really know what we’re doing?”

“Yes.” She said without hesitation.

“Well, yeah.” Mad admitted. “But also, absolutely not. Of course I know what I’m doing, but the others, they have no clue sometimes. Hell. _I_ have no clue sometimes. You’ve done a remarkable job so far, better than you father ever did.”

A small smirk formed on her lips. “I still never thanked Dark for getting rid of him.”

“You can thank him by helping us.” Mad suggested causally. Evelyn had a new glimmer in her eyes when she looked at him.

“We’ll see.”

The conversation stopped, since that was the moment that Anti and Mare strode in. “There ye are.” Anti walked over, only sparing a glance at Evelyn before taking him in. “This is one of your shittier ideas.”

He shrugged. “It’ll be fine. Besides, if this is real, we need to treat it real.” They’ve had several smaller gangs try to join in the few years that they’ve been a gang themselves. At the beginning, it was always Mad or Mare challenged, but after the first year of no one beating them, these rookie gangs starting going after other queens, before giving up all together.

“As the registered queen.” Evelyn said, tone going back to what it was before. “You will be on the right side.” She gestured to the right door with a blue paint mark on it.

“Thanks, Eve.” Anti stuffed his hands into his pocket, moving towards said door. “For using one of your own warehouses for this.”

“It’s the third ceremony.” Evelyn protested, but a small smile stayed on her face. “It deserves to be taken seriously. You don’t _know_ how many don’t even pass the first, let alone the second. You all always drop the rookies on us.”

“Can we take a look around?” Mare finally spoke up, looking around with a slight glare, like he thought the walls were going to come alive and betray them. Evelyn did a quick nod.

“Of course, but I’d have to come in behind you. Make sure you’re not hiding any weapons.”

Mad snorted. He didn’t need weapons.

Evelyn walked through the blue door, into another small room, equipped with only a bench and bathroom. She did a quick sweep of the room before moving onto the next, where the actual ceremony will take place.

The room was bare as well, apart from the blue and red mats on the ground. While the match was going on, no one else would be allowed inside. Before the match, the room would be thoroughly checked, as well as the fighters. Absolutely no weapon of any kind was allowed. Mad wasn’t worried. The only challenge would be the blindness, but he’s done it before. He sparred with Mare before, both of them wearing blindfolds. He started to stop relying on his eyes when he fights hand to hand anyway.

It was then that Dark and the Boomer queen arrived, two people that must be the Wraiths trailing behind. The king was a dark haired man, much older than any of the other kings present, and the queen was a walking snowman. The amount of white was blinding, but it hid their features brilliantly.

The king huffed at the sight of Anti, Mare, and Evelyn. “When I heard of you and all you’ve accomplished, I expected something more.”

Evelyn quite literally ignored him. “The rules of this ceremony are simple.” She barked, tone stern and attention grabbing. “Each opponent has their own room. The witnesses wait out here. The kings will be the ones blindfolding their queens, but it is _my_ queen who will check to make sure there is no foul play. If foul play is expected by the challenger, then the ceremony is null, and the challenger will have to wait half a year until they can challenge someone else. They will not be able to challenge the same queen.” She glared at the Wraiths, as if daring them to protest. The king’s face had gone from irritated to shocked. “This ceremony’s judge, my queen, will be in the room for only the first five seconds, before leaving. When there is a clear victor, said victor will knock on the blue door to have my queen judge. Once my queen has judged, the opponent’s kings will come in, followed by the witnesses and myself. The queens will not be able to take off their blindfolds until my queen has cleared them. Is this clear?”

“Crystal” Mad murmured. His eyes hadn’t left the new queen. They were covered, but it was obvious that they was actually a He. A short but lanky male. Probably very agile, so that was something to take note of.

“Understood.” The new king gruffed, still startled. 

“Good.” Evelyn gave a curt nod. “For the challenger, the match has been won once the official queen says ‘mercy’, as is the same for the official queen. You all know the reward for winning, and the _possible_ punishment of losing. This is your last chance to back out.”

“No.” The queen finally spoke, mechanical voice making it sound unnaturally deep. “We do not back down.”

Pride. It was obvious that he was proud of his skills. Evelyn turned to them. “Do you feel the need to postpone this ceremony to another time? No penalties will be taken against you.”

“We’re good.” Mad finally turned his mask face completely towards the new queen. The tension in the room thickened as they stared at each other.

Then the king looked at him, before smiling. “The queen’s just as young as all of them. Oh, this will be easy, with your experience.” He clasped his own queen’s shoulder. Mad’s mask hid his frown. He spun on his heel, not bothering to answer. He entered the blue door, automatically starting the ceremony.

“Each king has five minutes.” The Boomer queen handed Dark and the new king thick wraps. “Do not try to trick me.”

Mad was sitting on the bench when Dark walked in. He was muttering to himself, cursing occasionally. His costume laid crumbled on the ground, as well as the bulletproof padding. The only thing he wore now was a thin long sleeve shirt and an equally thin pair of tight pants, black socks and gloves. “I wasn’t prepared.” Mad grumbled aloud. “The pants I can deal with, but this shirt is going to be ruined.”

“You’re not worried?” Dark asked, moving behind him. Mad sat up, allowing the thick fabric to be wrapped completely around his head. Luckily, the fabric was breathable. Dark also made sure to cover his hair. By the time he was done, not a single inch of skin was seeable on Mad's body. The Boomer queen might be able to get somewhat of a reading on him, but he was still mostly a mystery.

Mad stood up when he was done, testing it himself. Seeing that it was done well, he turned toward Dark’s voice. “I’ll string him along for a while.”

Dark gave him a long look before nodding. “Don’t strain yourself.”

He smiled. “This’ll teach the others that cripples are not to be messed with.”

“You are not crippled.”

“I’ll agree with you just so you don’t yell at me.”

He heard the door open, and he could sense someone stop in front of him. The blindfold was tugged on once, and the person did two full circles around him, before they spoke. “Your knots are impressive.”

“I understand that I am supposed to stay in here-” Dark started. “-but is it allowed for others to be in here with me?”

“That is allowed.” The Boomer queen said, before moving. When he spoke next, he was near the door to the match room. “If you are fully prepared, follow me.”

Mad didn’t glance back.

It had only been a few minutes since Mad and Dark disappeared, and those minutes had been quiet. The silence was only broken when the Boomer queen left their room and went to the other red marked door.

Dark stopped his own blue marked door from closing. “Evelyn.” He called, voice steely soft, obviously irritated. “May we all talk?”

The young king seemed to be ready for this, and nodded, quickly making her way over to the blue marked door. Dark jerked his head over to the other two, and they followed quickly after.

“The Wraiths will be suspicious if they see me in here.” Evelyn sat easily on the bench, unconcerned of those around her. Before she had become king, they had all been some version of friends. That never changed, even after Dark killed her dad. She had no reason to be wary around them.

Anti snorted at her pronoun, as if something amused him, but didn’t speak on it. Dark started off strong. “We think the Vipers and Maniacs are after our family.”

Her posture changed immediately, eyes going wide. “ _What?_ Are they _insane?_ ”

The Boomer queen entered the room from the match door. Dark didn’t catch anything going on in the room, but the queen was relaxed. “I wouldn’t worry.” Was all they said, staying by the door and listening. The queen would let them fight, but if he heard anything suspicious (the tearing of fabric, metal against skin, ect…) they’d look in.

“Why?” Evelyn asked after a moment of silence. “Your family consists of little kids. Leverage?”

“That I cannot say until I know I can fully trust you.” Dark answered. “But as of late they’ve been breaking multiple rules, and we can’t let them continue any longer.”

“The problem is-” Mare joined in. “-the Vipers and Maniacs are working together. Without a tie breaker, we can’t do anything officially.”

Evelyn set her jaw. “So you want me to join your side?”

“No.” Dark said, surprising her. “We want your help in our votes. The Boomers know and understand the rules better than anyone else, we want to use that.”

Evelyn’s eyes narrowed, before she smirked. “Work within the lines of the law, and I’ll have no choice but to side with you, will I?”

“That’s one way to look at it.” Anti agreed with a grin. 

Evelyn pursed her lips. “What do you think?”

The Boomer queen glanced at them before looking back. “I doubt we can keep any alliance secret for long. They already suspect us of helping. If we plan to pick a side, then we have to commit.”

“We won’t be able to commit if we don’t know the whole story.” Evelyn added on. “We’ll need to think about this a little more before we come to any conclusions.”

“Of course.” Dark said placidly. “The Septics are hosting a party in a few days, and I had planned to invite you. Will that be enough time?”

Evelyn’s hand came up to her chest, and she giggled prettily. “Oh, I’m so flattered!” She teased. “But yes, that will be fine.”

“Perfect timing.” The Boomer queen interrupted, almost gruffly. “The sound inside has stopped.”

Evelyn pulled Mare and Anti to the wall, just out of line of sight of the door. Seconds later, there was a knock.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third ceremony is something that must be taken seriously.  
> Which is why cheating has such deadly consequences.

Mad was having a surprisingly okay day.

Even with everything going on, he wasn’t too worried. Sure, the Wraith’s ‘queen’ seemed skilled, but Mad prided himself on being more than just a jack of all trades. He might not be in top condition, but he also knew he didn’t need to be.

“Opponents, come towards my voice.” The Boomer queen spoke. “Stop when I touch your shoulders.”

Mad glided forward easily, halting when he felt a feather-light tap on his shoulder. After a few seconds, the queen spoke up again, this time a few feet away. “You may begin.”

As said before, Mad prides himself on being good. He’s spent time on learning how to fight without your normal senses. He knows how to feel for an attack almost as well as he knows how to see it. So when his sight was taken away, and the queen said go, he didn’t need to see his opponent fall to the floor and sweep out their leg. He didn’t need to, because he felt it, he felt the ground vibrate and the air move, and he went on his gut feeling and jumped, because his opponent can’t see either.

He lands and rolls to the side, jumping up easily. His legs felt sore from the small amount of exercise, and his stomach ached from internal bruising that had yet to fade, but the adrenaline he felt had everything else beaten. He felt great.

He gained his balance and froze, stilling every muscle in his body while straining his ears. The other queen had gone quiet as well.

But then he shifted.

Mad smiled, keeping still. He had somewhat of an idea of where the other queen was. A few feet to his left, and maybe two feet forward after that. Slowly, he crouched down, setting his legs to spring up at any moment. Then, lightly, he tapped the floor and let out a cough.

Almost instantly, he heard movement, and felt the mats shake and vibrate as it ran at him. He waited for a few more seconds, before springing up and aiming a kick to where the side of his stomach should be, above the pelvis but under the protection of his ribs. It landed perfectly, throwing the other off balance and to the floor. He heard the other give off one wheezing cough before going quiet, but he didn’t focus on that. His kick had drove shockwaves of pain through his legs, and he had to grit his teeth to stop from crying out.

There was a feeling of a change of wind, and that was his only warning. He put his hands up in just enough to time block a fist to the side of his face. Unluckily, he wasn’t quite fast enough, so that fist hit his own, which hurt like nothing else. Luckily, it was his not dominant hand.

Using his dominant hand, he went for a low punch, hitting the man just above his gut, where Mad had actually targeted. His opponent grabbed his hand, twisting it. Mad went in the direction he twisted to stop the queen from breaking his wrist, but the queen took the moment and swept him, slamming him hard into the mat.

He grabbed the hand hold him, twisting it in the same way to get it to release him before rolling away, jumping up when he heard the queen coming towards him. As quietly as he could, he took a wide step to the side, feeling him pass with a rush of air. Calculating it in his head, he gave up and instead reached out blindly with a hand. His hand latched onto the other queen’s ankle. Since it seemed like they were kicking, Mad used their motion to do the same to them, sweeping them onto the floor. Instead of making the same mistake his opponent did, he held on tightly to the ankle, lifting that leg off the floor while bringing his own foot up and slamming it down, aiming for his knee. Like someone would do to break a tough stick.

It connected. Mad could hear it snap.

The other queen’s scream was muffled from the blindfold, and Mad released the leg, taking a step back to collect himself. The queen’s ragged breaths went soft quicker than he thought they would. No matter, the queen couldn’t run nor kick on a bum leg like that anymore.

He suddenly heard a soft scraping noise, like the queen was dragging themselves somewhere. It was away from him, though, which was confusing. He followed forward with light steps, listening carefully.

The scraping noise changed into grunts of pain and harsh breathing. After a few moments, they stopped altogether, and the room was quiet. Mad frowned, taking a step to the side.

He had no time to brace when something slammed into him, knocking his breath away and sending him to the floor. He had no time to gain his balance on the floor, since the other queen had landed on top of him, holding him down before beating him in with his fists.

Stupid him, he forgot that people can  _ tackle. _

The punches were hard and the queen had trapped one of Mad’s hands when he tackled him, but Mad’s been in a situation like this before, and he knew how to block with only one hand. So far, only two hits landed hard on his face, causing gold stars to erupt in his black vision but nothing more. After a few moments he had freed his other hand, and had taken to covering his face with his arms. The queen was sitting on his chest, which was bad, but it meant that he didn’t have to worry about protecting his sides.

Then the queen grabbed one of his arms, right over the almost completely healed burn, and squeezed, hard. The almost in that last sentence was there for a reason.

For a few terrifying moments, that pain brought him back to the day it happened. The fact that his stomach and legs burned wasn’t helping. He could see it happening all over again in his mind’s eye, but this time he could see the brand coming closer and closer to his skin.

He panicked, terrified. But then that fear turned into anger.

His free hand flew forward, and he felt the other man’s head snapped back. He’s pretty sure he hit the queen’s nose. Their hands flew back, up to protect their face, and Mad took that moment to grab the queen, buck his hips, and push, hard. Suddenly, the other man was on the ground, but instead of going for mount, Mad grabbed the queen’s collar, pulling it forward and wrapping his arms around their neck.

The queen panicked then, bucking and spazzing about before aiming well driven elbows into Mad’s stomach. Mad grunted as each one hit his already sensitive and hurt stomach, but he could deal with the pain. He started tightening his muscles, and in moments the queen became to weak to hit back.

“Maybe this will teach your king.” Mad ducked his head down to whisper in the queen’s ear. “Just because you're older doesn’t mean you’ll be better.”

The queen gasped, still able to breath but not able to receive oxygen to their brain. “M-Mercy-”

Mad smiled, enjoying the sound. “If only someone had read all the rules.” He tutted. “The challenger can’t kill the queen, but the queen can  _ absolutely _ kill the challenger. Maybe you shouldn't of aimed for my old wound, hmm? Speaking of that, who told you about it?”

“Le-Let m-me-”

“Was it the Vipers?” He asked, ignoring the queen. “It must’ve been, right. Tell me, and I’ll grant you mercy.”

He could feel the queen nod immediately. “T-the-their king-”

Mad loosened the hold, just slightly, and could hear the relief that accompanied it. “Thank you for your cooperation.”

He released the queen’s neck before grabbing their head and twisting sharply, snapping it. The queen fell limply to the ground, and Mad crawled backwards, sitting down for a moment to catch his breath.

He got up slowly, before groaning. The easy part was over. Now he had to make it to his door blindfolded. Luckily, the side of the room that held the blue door was covered in padding, while the red side was covered with mats. Mad stood up and felt for the wall, thankful to find the middle of the wall first. After that, tracing it back to the wooden door was easy. He knocked softly.

When the door opened he didn’t bother waiting, stepping right in. “Dark.” He called.

“Yes?” His voice was calm, which told him that he was concerned, which meant that Mad looked like crap. And he was right, his hair was a wreck, his gloves ripped and his shirt had torn and ruined, and was probably stained with blood. Rival was going to kill him, this was her favorite costume.

“Sometimes I don’t make the best decisions.” Mad admitted. He felt the Boomer queen enter the match room behind him. The queen had heard his actual voice, but he couldn't make himself care about that right now. “Maybe I should go see a doctor after this.”

“Finally you see sense.”

Apparently Evelyn, Anti, and Mare were in the room with them, which meant Evelyn also heard him, but after a single look Anti herded her out. The Boomer queen closed the door behind them as they entered the match room as well, so when Dark finally got the blindfold off him only he and Mare were in the room with him.

He took a moment to pull up his sleeve and inspect his mark. It had gone back to red and bleeding, scab removed harshly, and it stung at the slightest touch. Mad grunted in irritation, not bothering to check his friends' reactions. He pulled the sleeve down before pulling up his shirt to check his stomach. The old bruises were gone, now to be replaced with fresh new ones from his tumble. He groaned this time, lastly feeling the side of his face, which stung. If he was lucky, which he usually was, then it wouldn’t bruise too badly. At least the punches that landed were by his ears and not his eyes.

“I’m guessing they knew about your injuries.” Mare stated, crossing his arms.

“I already grilled him.” Mad replied. “It was the Viper king.”

  
  


A few days passed. Mad stuck to his words, for once, this time staying completely in bed for two days, what the doctors ordered. Well, they ordered a week, but Mad has recently learned that his fast healing wasn’t  _ just _ fast healing so he cut it to a quarter of the time. 

Even though he was given plenty of food, he barely ate any of it, and had lost, in the last few hectic weeks, a good fifteen pounds. Most likely from the trauma of everything, but the excuse meant nothing if he starved himself. Luckily, he was slim to begin with, so hopefully the weight loss wasn’t too noticeable.

Nevertheless, after helping himself to a breakfast he knew was too big for his shrinking stomach (and then vomiting for a few minutes after) before his bedrest, he realized that he wasn’t taking good care of himself. Which is what led to the two days of bedrest while gradually stuffing himself more and more. It left him a lot more energized and healthy, but with two days of sleep, eat, repeat, and with nothing to do but think and dream and  _ look at that complicated fucking catalyst, _ he realized two things.

  1. He’d rather get kidnapped again then put on bedrest for one more day. He’s never been more bored. And-
  2. The notes left behind for that catalyst meant shit all, and he needed to find out more, some other way.



Which, in conclusion, just meant that he had another side mission on top of everything. The only good thing is that the members circling the border said that they’ve seen all their brothers at the immune’s house, having fun and enjoying themselves. Mad didn’t have to worry about them.

He did, though, have to worry about the Septic party, which was tomorrow.

Which Evelyn was going to. With her queen. And Mad hasn’t been sparring or practicing at all in almost a whole month.

It never ends with him, does it?

  
  


His outfit consisted of black pants and a vest, as well as a short white sleeved shirt. Formal enough for the evening, but very unlike the queen to wear. Dark arched an eyebrow. 

Mad rolled his eyes at his look, before raising his arm. The burn that covered his tattoo was an ugly brownish red, clear against it’s black backdrop and the skin around. “It’s for empathy.” He explained.

It would probably give him empathy, Dark had to admit. He also looked like a waiter. Which was a good thing, too. Dark planned to have him actually  _ be _ a waiter at the party, since he wanted the other man out of the public’s eye for awhile. Mad at first was against it, but eventually warmed up to it.

The party itself would take place at the top of a business office. Unlike the Shadow’s gala, the Septic’s party would be only for the high class. They threw their own gala exactly half a year before or after the Shadow’s one. The galas are for their reputation, the parties are for business.

They had arrived a few hours early to make sure everything was ready. They, along with a few Shadow members, arrived just a few minutes ago.

Mad’s face broke out into a grin, and he grabbed a platter with some glasses of wine on it. “I get to practice my balance.” He said, spinning the platter in his hand. The wine spun with it, but not a drop of the liquid courage fell out of the glasses.

“I would switch places if I could.” Dark murmured. He absolutely hated this side of monopoly holdings, and would do anything to get out of it. Sadly, everyone knew his face, so he couldn’t. Sometimes he wished he was the queen and Mad was the king, even if that only meant he didn’t have to attend such trivial things like this.

“Sadly, you can’t.” Mad grabbed a glass from the spinning platter in his hand before stopping the platter altogether. He handed the glass to his friend before grabbing one of his own. Dark watched in surprise as he drank it all in one go. Mad didn’t drink, especially not at parties or galas. “Now come on.” He said. “We have a few hours before Evelyn and that queen of hers arrives.”


	16. Chapter 16

Mad actually saw Evelyn enter before the others did, and he grabbed a plate topped with champagne glasses before making his way over. She had donned a gorgeous bright green dress for the evening, which rippled and glittered as she moved, trailing down low to her ankles. The Boomer queen was male, for today, at least, wearing a dark green suit that matched Evelyn’s. Their mask was stark white and emotionless.

Mad made a whirl of motion when he arrived, holding up the platter. “A drink for your evening, madam?”

She accepted it easily, thanking him and turning away. Mad made sure not to glance at her tattoo, which was easy to see. It spanded her entire shoulder, and since the dress was not only sleeveless but backless as well, it was hard not to look. The queen was still looking at him, though, so he had to look away.

The two made their way to where Dark, Anti, and Mare sat, chatting easily to some businessmen. At first, the men tried to push Evelyn towards where their own wives were talking, but they quickly stopped when they realized that she was more important to who they were trying to mooch to then they were.

Mad stayed somewhat close to them, until the queen excused themselves for some air. Mad watched where he went, following a few minutes after.

The next he saw him, the queen was leaned against a wall, mask hiding where he was looking at. Mad exhaled harshly, steeling himself, before moving past him. As he expected, he had barely gotten a foot away before the queen had grabbed his arm.

The arm with his tattoo.

The queen looked down at his arm, before looking up at Mad. “So they weren’t lying.” They finally said.

“No.” Mad’s voice was slightly clipped. “They weren’t.”

That masked head tilted, letting go of his arm. “Why show such an easy identifier?”

“So that you have proof.” Mad answered. “They aren’t following the rules anymore. You should get back.”

“What about you?” The queen asked.

Mad grinned. “I’ll join you later.” He lifted his platter, which hadn’t lost anything, even after he had been jostled. “I have people to serve.”

The queen barked out a laugh before returning to the others. Mad smiled, before glancing at his arm. A frown overtook his features, and he grumbled. Grabbing a glass of his own, he gulped it down before moving away.

Once Dark truly became bored with where the conversation was heading, he excused himself and his companions. The Boomer queen had just reappeared, and he was acting slightly odd. Dark took note of that.

Anti had a side room at the back of the floor, a meeting room. Completely enclosed with no windows, the only look outside was by the tv on the side wall, connected to a camera watching the floor. Evelyn took her time watching it before turning back to the conversation at hand.

“Do you have an answer?” Dark didn’t nudge around it. His eyes were piercing but somehow dull at the same time.

“We accept your proposition.” Evelyn said. “On one condition. Absolute trust.”

Dark’s eyes narrowed slightly, but it was Mare who spoke next. “And what do you think is absolute trust?”

“To know that you aren’t trying to play us in any way, we’ll need to see something that proves your intentions.” Evelyn explained. “Traditionally, if two gangs were to make a pact like this, they would reveal their queen’s identity to whomever was in said pact. Mare has technically already done that, but…”

“You want my queen to do the same.” Dark had predicted this, but that didn’t mean he liked it. He trusted Evelyn, but he had no clue who her queen was. “Will we get to see your queen’s face, as part of this deal?”

“Of course.” The Boomer queen said, hands going up to their mask. There was a sharp silence as the queen suddenly removed their mask.

The Boomer queen was indeed a man, a man who shared many facial features with Evelyn. Dark wondered their relation briefly, but was to surprised with the fact that  _ he just did that _ to focus on much else at the moment.

Evelyn’s dress glittered as she shifted. She glared at her queen, who was her exact image in boy form. “What the hell-”

“It’s fine.” He interrupted. “They can be trusted.”

Evelyn looked enraged. “Still! Why did you- Their queen isn’t even here!”

“Yes he is.” The queen stopped his lookalike. He gestured to the tv with the camera feed to the outside. Mad was moving through the crowd with a cheese platter, obviously enjoying the fact that absolutely no one recongized him. “He gave you your first champagne glass.”

“How did you know?” Dark didn’t sound accuristory. His voice had a tilt of curiosity and respect.

The other queen looked at the tv for a moment. Looking at Mad now, it was obvious that he was very skilled at hiding what he didn’t want others to see. He hasn’t seen even a glimpse of the mark on his arm. It was now clear that the only reason he had seen it earlier was because the other man allowed him to. “I saw his mark.”

Evelyn’s reaction wasn’t as well hidden as the others. She winced, glancing down. Mad finally decided to show his face, knocking on the door and coming in, still carrying his plate of cheese. “Would anyone-” He paused when he looked at the other queen. His face went slack, before realization dawned on his face. “Twins! Of course it’s twins!”

Evelyn looked at him much more closely. They had been friends for years, but she had never seen his face. “You are not what I expected you to be.”

A small smile graced his lips. “What were you expecting?”

“Black hair, a bit taller, less of a dorky voice- but I got the brown eyes right.” Evelyn seemed a lot less upset now that she’d seen that the deal had gone both ways. Her eyes flickered down to his mark, clearly visible with how he was holding the platter. Dark knew he did that on purpose. Her eyes darkened. “They really weren’t lying…”

Mad glanced down at his own arm, setting down the platter before taking a seat next to Dark. “As I told your queen- no, they weren’t.”

“Tell me, Evelyn.” Mare leaned forward. “Is kidnapping and torturing another queen against the rules? The rules we all pledged to when we came into our positions?”

“Unless a direct duel has been established-” Evelyn muttered, a human encyclopedia. “-and both sides have agreed to the terms, then it is against the rules.”

“And the penalty?”

“Of harm without death.” The queen wasn’t watching, instead looking at the tv. “Either eviction or death.”

“I knew I liked the rules for some reason.” Mare leaned back with crossed arms. “We should probably do introductions, yeah?”

“That would be smart.” Mad murmured. “So, as an informal but official introduction, my name is Mad, and I am the queen of the Shadows.”

The other queen nodded. “And I am Elijah, the queen of the Boomers, and, obviously, Evelyn’s twin brother.”

“Your dad never mentioned that Evelyn was a twin.” Anti leaned forward, interested.

“He didn’t tell anyone.” Elijah crossed his arms. “Took us from our mother when we were five and hid us away for most of our lives. Eve got to run around because he was training her to be the next king.”

Now, they didn’t know much of Evelyn’s childhood. They knew that their father had been training Evelyn to take over for him, even though that’s not usually how inheritance goes. Instead of going to school or hanging out with friends, Evelyn spent all her time studying and learning everything she needed to know about the Boomers. It was why she could recite rules off the top of her mind. And if the old king had another child, of course he would train them to become the next queen. It made perfect sense.

Then another thought came to mind, and he leaned back. “Interesting.”

“Inter- what?” Anti looked at him as if he had just zoned out. “What’s interesting?”

“Just the relationships between all of the kings and queens. Most people think that they are just two strangers who work together when the time comes.” Mad explained. “Instead, we have twins as a king and queen, four childhood friends, a father and daughter, and maybe a married couple.”

“Father and daughter?”

“Married couple?!”

The first voice had come from Evelyn, and the second from Anti. Mad nodded. “Dark and Anti discovered that the Maniac queen was actually Valentine’s daughter when they went into their territory. I made some observations while I was a human pinata that makes me believe that Karlson and his queen are romantically involved.”

Mare glared at his usage of the words ‘human pinata’, but made no comment. Dark, being next to him, kicked him under the table. Evelyn seemed not to notice. “That is interesting, and hopefully, we could use that to our advantage.”

Mad leaned forward, excited by the maniacal smirk on her face. “Do tell us more.”

  
  


Mad shedded his outer layers as he entered the apartment, reaching his room and locking the door behind him. As of now, he was the only resident, since Mare moved back into the Septic base. Mad didn’t leave though. This was the perfect place to conduct experiments.

He looked at the catalyst on his bed, and the scattered notes that surrounded it. He had written so much that it had spread all the way over to his desk, leaving an unorganized mess in its wake.

He grabbed at his last note he made.  _ 'Level of headache dictated by multiple factors; amount of energy, level of emotion in myself, and what seems to be several other factors that I cannot identify. Level of headache also dictates level of power in my 'telekinesis'. _

_ Catalyst grants unique side effects for each person it affects. Only I seem to have a direct negative effect when coming in contact with it.  _

_ Note: Try out vacuum prototype' _

Mad turned the page to see a rough sketch of a bracelet connected to a tube. Mad blinked- he had done it the night before last night, and didn't really remember that he did it. It was around 3am out so, and the pain of the third ceremony made it hard to sleep. He hummed at his own genius and got to work.

  
  


The door to the Septics slammed open. "I've done it!" Mad announced loudly. The sudden noise caused Anti, Mare, and Felix to jump, all three of them pulling out guns. Mad arched a brow and continued in, uncaring.

Mare was the first one to lower his weapon. "Jesus." He breathed. "What'd you do?"

Mad stared at Felix, who started back, confused. After a moment, his eyes gained some realization and he left the room. Mad grinned and produced a metal band. It's surprisingly slim, a silver strip with a box like bit in the front. He tossed it towards Mare, who caught it with one hand and slipped it on without hesitation. "What's this?"

"Just a wearable container." Mad explained. "Press the button on the side." 

Mare looked at the band on his wrist for a second before putting his finger on the band. The band cracked open and a sliver of reddish dust exited the band. Mare scrunched his brow before talking. "What-"

He cut himself off, eyes widening. His voice had changed, turning into the tone of whatever that catalyst normally does to it. Anti stood up, baffled. "What'd you do?"

"I made a weapon." 


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Old memories in broken houses.

Mare seemed to be overly relieved when he went to speak and his voice was again normal. "How'd you do this without hurting yourself?"

If Mad felt anyway about Mare's worry, he didn't show. "In small enough doses, I don't feel any effect. Luckily, there's an opening in the container made to vacuum out excess energy. I just moved a small part of it into the band." He held his hand out for it, and Mare only hesitated for a second before giving it back. "In a life or death situation, just a few seconds of this might be able to save you."

Anti looked impressed, to say the least. "Do you have one for me?"

Mad grimaced. "I'm trying to make one for both you and Dark, but your abilities aren't as easy to work with. To be honest, I don't think I can do it, unless I find out exactly how these powers work."

"What did the files say?" Mare buts in.

"They referenced some recorded videos and other notes that we don't have. I'm thinking that our parents either burned them or took them with them when they left."

"I don't think they burned them." Anti said. "They must've thought ahead. It would've been a bad idea to get rid of notes on experimental kids that they  _ still had." _

"So they took the notes with them." Mare continued. "If they're anywhere, they're at our old houses."

Mad scrunched his nose. "Anti, you said Valentine remembered you?"

A quick nod from the king. "Yeah. I think he was the one who started up our particular project in the first place."

Mare made a face. "I'm not thanking him for being alive."

Mad ignored him. "And he's the one that called for the neighborhood shooting. What's to say that he hasn't already sent Maniacs back to the neighborhood? He could've turned that place into a trap."

Mare thought about it, before arching an eyebrow. "Are you saying you  _ don't _ want to find old information on us?"

"I'm saying we should be careful." Mad stressed, which wasn't really like him. "Things go south quickly when we're not careful."

Mare didn't respond, making sure not to look at his best friend, who was still breathing lightly due to his fight with the fake queen.

Anti grunted. "I don't see why they would set a trap. Getting enough men into Septic territory to even have a chance would be harder than need be."

"We're not invincible." Mad warned. "The Maniac queen caught you very easily. The Vipers caught us without the need of a queen."

The thought sobered Anti up. "Then we'll be careful." Mare continued. "We'll have men posted around the place, in case something does happen. They're use to us going in alone with no backup, so we'll change that."

Mad nodded. "As long as we have a decent plan, then I'm in. I'll fill this up again just in case for you to use." He held up the band to show what he meant. "'S really unfair. You get to control people with your voice, I get a headache and can knock china off the shelves."

  
  
  


Dark was even less key on their idea then Mad was, which made it a bad idea for Mad to be the one to explain it to him. "It's not a good idea."

"You don't want to know more about your past?"

"Of course I do." Dark grumbled. "But knowing more about these powers does more harm than good, Mad. Anti's and I's seem downright useless, you can't even use yours, and Mare's messes with his brain. There's a reason why we were going to be terminated, we weren't useful!"

"That was probably before our parents made that thing." He gestured to the catalyst, which he had moved, along with his notes, into Dark's office. He had decided to finally let that apartment and it's mostly bad memories go. "No matter how we feel about it, no one would be able to say that having something that can literally completely control people is a useless weapon. I'm guessing that Valentine didn't know about the catalyst, but once our moms made it and discovered that we were more powerful than they thought we were, they packed up and ran." Mad crossed his arms, gaze set. "But now Valentine knows about us and most likely has access to the old lab. If there's anything left there that tells him about my telekinesis or Mare's mind control or _ anything _ about you or Anti, what do you think they'll do next?"

Dark's use to Mad talking back to him, but now the other man was acting like he wasn't thinking this through, which he _ was, _ and it's _ why _ he thought it better to bury the past in the past. "Or, the lab is completely sealed again and he can't get in. All he knows about us is that both we and our brothers are connected to the lab expirements Valentine did while trying to bring his wife back. But he _ also _ knows that Mark and Mat and Jack and Nate have the _ exact _ type of immune blood that Valentine wants. He's too focused on that to think about us."

"Dark." Mad looked at him like he was stupid, which angered him more. "Think about it. Valentine's having trouble getting to them. But, if he could somehow use _ Mare, _ he could literally make any of us go and get them, and we'd have no choice." Mad moved forward, planting his hands on Dark's desk and leaning forward. "Look, I'm in the same boat as you. I'm curious, yes, but I'd rather this stayed buried. The thing is, if we don't look into this, we're putting _ ourselves _ at a disadvantage because _ we don't know _ how much Valentine knows. He could know nothing, or he could know everything. We have to be prepared."

Dark stared (glared-) at him for a long time, unblinking. The clock on the wall ticked on, and Mad had counted 147 ticks before Dark spoke. "Alright."

Mad was so happy that he actually won an important argument with Dark that the clock fell off the wall. Dark caught it before it could crash to the floor. Mad smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

  
  
  


The old place was dark and dreary, but it smelled like chemicals, as if someone had cleaned it recently.

Or like no one had been in since it was cleaned.

The door creaked when Mare opened it, and he stepped slowly forward, stopping in the foyar to let Anti go ahead. The other man staggered forward, as if he was a zombie himself.

Mad came in after, eyeing the shadows warily as Dark brought up the rear. They stood still for a moment, making sure that no one else was in the house. A few Septic members wandered the neighborhood, quiet, as to not wake up any of the other residents.

Anti was the one that broke formation first, making a beeline towards the kitchen. The other three shared a look before following. The Septic king stood stoic in the middle of the room.

Everyone watched as Anti walked up to a crayon drawing stuck to the fridge, eyes dull. The tips of his fingers brushed softly against the page, as if he was afraid it was going to turn into dust. "It hasn't changed." He confirmed.

They were silent as they looked around the wreckage of Anti's childhood home.

  
  
  


Besides a few hidden pages of notes, a notebook, and a very graphic mostly therapeutic letter to a certain King about killing them in multiple ways and hiding the body, there wasn't much to find in three of the four houses.

As they stood in front of the last one, Anti sighed. "We should've checked this one first."

Mad raised an eyebrow. "How's that?"

He snorted. "You mother was a walking encyclopedia that could give Evelyn a run for her money."

"And she was the head scientist." Dark added on.

"That too."

Mad frowned. "If it is here, we'll have a hard time finding it."

"Yeah." Mare agreed. "I still don't know where she put my firecracker."

She had said he could have it back when he was older. He was five then. She never threw it away, since she liked to show it off every now and then. Afterwards, though, it was hidden so well that Mare wondered if he ever actually saw it. 

They searched the entire house for two hours, and was about to give up when Dark called them over to the master bedroom. "Something's under the bed."

Mare looked under with his flashlight. "There's nothing here."

"No." Anti frowned. "There  _ is _ something under there."

"There's space under the floorboard." Dark pointed out. 

Mare looked at Mad, confused, but Mad just shrugged. "Sensing shadows?"

"Maybe." Dark murmured, pushing the bed out of the way. He kneeled on the floor, hand tracing over the wood before pressing down on a panel. The wood sank, moving behind another panel to reveal a pin code.

"Wow Mad." Mare stared at it. "Your mother was incredible."

"How'd you know it was there?" Mad asked, looking at both Anti and Dark.

Anti shrugged. "Don't know, I just,  _ felt _ something." Dark didn't answer.

"Did anyone find the code for this?" Dark gestured at the lock, which was a four digit passcode.

"Move." Mad nudged Dark out of the way. When Mad was younger, his mother used the same pin for everything, and made sure Mad had memorized it too. Mad wondered if it was for this. "My mom always used the code '8131' for everything she did. Mat and I were born on the same day, just different months. January 31st and August 31st." The lock beeped and unlocked. The floorboard started to move, revealing a hidden pocket underneath.

There was only one thing inside.

"My firecracker!" Mare lit up in childish glee, grabbing the old and probably useless toy and pocketing it. "I knew I'd get it back some day."

While Mad was happy he got back a childhood  _ weapon, _ he was disappointed that that was all. "I guess they really did get rid of everything-"

"No." Dark cut him off. "There's more underneath this."

"Yeah." Anti agreed, closing his eyes. "Feels like there's something electronic underneath this, like a computer or something."

"Fake pocket?" Mare asked. Mad scanned the hole before lighting up.

"You're right." He said, grabbing at a chipping bit of wood on the side and pushing it. When it didn't budge, he pulled it up and then around. The chip of wood vanished into the side of the pocket, and the bottom of it slid in, revealing a ladder.

They all stared. Seriously? This was overkill.

  
  


At the bottom of the ladder was a decent sized room, with several desks and chairs and a blueprint for anything catalyst hung up on the wall. Two computers and a laptop scattered the room, and the wall with the ladder held several cabinets filled with notes.

Mad was in paradise. 

"There are videos in these things too." Mare announced, thumbing through the cabinets.

"They've got a private server too." Anti had somehow brought the lights and computers back on, and was now scrolling through one of the PCs. "Filled with a ton of things on the catalyst. There's a small folder with stuff about the kids, too."

So their parents knew that their brothers were immune. They must've always known it was a possibility.

Dark was going through the drawers on the desk when he pulled something out to get a better look at it. Mad saw it out of the corner of his eye and jumped, swearing. The others turned to look at him.

It was a miniture version of the catalyst, but it didn't seem to be working. It had no container, but Dark wasn't shadowy and Mad didn't have a headache. "Must be a defect."

Dark checked back in the drawer and pulled out a torn note. He scanned it before smiling.

Mad noticed. "What is it?"

Dark didn't answer, instead holding out a hand and staring at it. Slowly, the tips of his fingers started turning into shadow.

"It's not a defect." He said. "It's just not done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering why the houses are the exact same and no one's moved into any of them in the years they've been empty, 1, no one wanted to live in a murder house full of bullet holes and 2, the Septics bought the houses a few months after they got enough money to afford it.  
> And yes I made up random birthdays for the pin code.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Videos of the abandoned lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very similar to chapter 9, since they both explain the past a bit more. I had fun with this one, just like I did with chapter 9.  
> Oh and happy Fourth of July for the Americans out there.

_ The following recordings were found in the secret room underneath the head scientist's house. _

[There was no opening scene, as if to explain the situation, just a crackling of light before a face came on screen. Mad's mother smiled. "After an extended period of research, we've discovered that it is not the immune itself that's immune to zombie bites, but it's their blood that allows what is inundated to cohabitate in them. We've found mutated bacteria floating around in the blood of immunes, and when an antigen with the zombie infection is added in, the bacteria swarm and digest it, destroying it completely."

"This is why-" Anti's mother appeared on screen, a happy jump in her step. "-immune blood can cure others but not also make them immune. This bacteria can only live in the blood of an immune. While we haven't figured out what's different between that blood and regular blood, or why immune children can see into the past, we do know how this bacteria can be cultivated."

"In a normal situation, the bacteria would join with the fetus at around six or so weeks of age, after brain waves can be seen in the fetus." Dark's mother cut in, notebook in hand. "It would then multiply and grow as the child grows. The question is, can we manufacture a child with the correct blood, and _ then _ inject the embryo with an abnormal amount of this bacteria? Would an embryo be able to take in this bacteria and become the perfect immune?"

"Or." Mare's mother added in, looking displeased about everything going on. "Would the embryo mutate as well as the bacteria took over? While this bacteria is mostly harmless, it does attack zombies. While zombies are much different from humans, they are still humans and their brainwaves actually show a lot of similarity between that of a two week old fetus. That being almost none. Would the bacteria attack the embryo, thinking it's like the zombie infection that they love to eat?" ]

[When the new video started, a place card was seeable, unlike before. The words **Immunity Injection** shone bright on the blank screen.

The background of this place was different from the lab they've seen. A large tank filled with liquid sat in the back, a blue light illuminating the water. Valentine stood looking at it, holding the hand of a sickly but beautiful woman. "How will this work?"

"Well-" Mad's mom started. "This tank is filled with the immune bacteria we have seperated from the immune blood you have given us. Since your wife is too far down the process to be cured with a normal Immunity Injection, we thought that a long term soak in here might give the bacteria enough time to completely rid you of the infection."

Valentine's wife, Luna, smiled softly, before placing her hand on her slightly round stomach. "What will the bacteria do to my baby?"

"Nothing." Mare's mom assured. "You are too far into the pregnancy for the baby to be at any risk. In fact, the only thing that may happen is that your baby is immune. In that case, the baby might save you."

Luna nodded again, normally vibrant eyes seeming to gray. A sign that she needed another dose. Her hair, which had once been a full curly brown, had gone straight, molding into a sad dull yellowish gray. "If this lets me last long enough to have our child…" she trailed off, but looked Valentine meaningfully in the eyes. 

"Alright." Mad's mother gestured to the tank. "Let's give you one last Immunity Injection and set you up."

Minutes passed. Luna was fitted with a wetsuit and an oxygen mask. Dark's mother gave her the injection, before they put her in the tank.]

[There was no title card for the next video.

"This is strange." Someone muttered. They were back in the lab they knew. "This is strange even for us."

"Thanks for the scientific description." Dark's mother looked at someone off screen. "Very helpful."

"Anyway-" Mare's mother started. "In a  _ strange _ turn of events, the bacteria did nothing we had anticipated. Instead of joining with the embryos,  _ they completely merged with them." _

"This is crazy." Anti's mother danced around. "That baby is more bacteria than human. It's _ everywhere. _ In it's bones, it's muscles, it's organs- your's has it in it's brain!" 

"The fetuses don't seem to care." Mad's mother cut her off. "They act the same that a seven week old fetus would act. Their Immunity level is quite low, too. It's as if the bacteria is everywhere _ besides _ their blood."

The camera moved as Mare's mother grabbed it. "More information needed." 

She promptly shut the video off.]

[This one was short.

"What in the living hell did Anti just do?!"

"It's like he's glitching!"

"What the fuck?!?"

"Go home, you're drunk!"]

[The screen crackled to life, glitching a bit before a white screen with black bolded words ‘Subject 1: Dark, Test 2’ appeared on the screen. A moment later, the screen had turned into the laboratory they had seen before. A year or more had to have passed, the lab was full of papers and the women all looked older. And worn out. The lights were bright and a woman in a lab coat stood in the background. In the middle ground sat a baby, playing with a stuffed teddy while drinking from a bottle. In the foreground stood another woman.

“Test 2 for Dark.” Said the woman in the foreground, messing with the camera. Dark’s mother. “It was discovered that each child has a certain emotion that triggers their powers. Test 1 successfully showed that Dar- subject 1 has minimal control of light, repelling it and creating shadows in its place. Test 2 will show proof of his powers being directly connected to his anger.” She waved a hand at the woman in the back.

The woman, Mare’s mother, walked up to the baby and quickly stole Dark’s toy and bottle. Dark looked completely baffled for a second, but soon his nose scrunched up and he started to bawl. After a moment, the bawling turning into screaming and yelling. The room dimmed and shadows started creeping into the video feed.

“Alright, calm down.” His mother said, gliding over and picking up her baby. Dark completely forgot about his bottle and toy, staring happily at his mother before trying to steal her glasses with a pudgy hand. His mother cooed and bopped his nose, causing him to giggle.

“You forgot to turn the camera off.” Someone else warned, and Dark’s mom looked frightened for a moment, before the camera feed stopped.]

[A new title card appeared. ‘Subject 2: Anti, Test 3.’ The background set up was the same, but this time the baby -Anti- was older, walking around on unsteady feet.

Dark’s mother was talking again. “When will she be back?”

“She said she found a nice neighb-“ the other voice, Mare’s mom, stopped. “-It’s recording.”

“Oh.” Dark’s mom said. “Test 3 for Anti. While we know that, like subject 1, anger triggers his powers, we still haven’t completely figured out his powerset. While it is focused on technology, there is not much more we know about it. Test 3 will test out a theory that we’ve been meaning to try.”

Another woman, Anti’s mom, stood on one side of the room and called out to her child. Anti started waddling over when Dark’s mom picked him up. He looked okay with it for a moment, but then started to fuss when he realized she wasn’t bringing him to his moma. His whining got louder as his mom called out for him again.

The video feed stopped, going static. After a few moments, it turned back on with a close up to Dark’s mom’s face. “Damnit.” She cursed. “He turned off the camera!”

“It wasn’t caught on tape?” Anti’s mom sounded disappointed as she cradled her child. She seemed to realize she was on screen, and backed off.

Dark’s mom sighed. “We’ll have to figure out something else.” She concluded.]

[A new title card appeared. ‘Subject 3: Mad, Test 6.’

“We have reason to believe that Subject 3’s emotional trigger is fear. Not only does test 3 and 4 prove this, but test 5 proves that using his powers stresses the sensor neurons in his brain. We don’t know if the stressing of these neurons from fear causes his powers to emerge, or if it’s an instinctive reaction due to his fear and using his power stresses his neurons. As of now, there is no safe way to test this-“

“What do you mean?” There was a new, male voice in the video, and a man stepped into view. Valentine produced a fake spider from his pocket, catching Mad’s attention. “Child, come here.”

Mad, unworried, tittered over. “Wes misser?” He asked politely, oblivious to the fake spider now behind him at eye level.

Valentine caught someone’s eyes off screen and smirked, before turning back to the child in front of him. His eyes widened comically. “What’s that behind you?!” He gasped.

The two year old’s eyes grew big as well, and he spun around, looking straight at the spider. He screamed, and the toy spider flew from Valentine’s hand and into the wall, breaking. Mad immediately put his hands to his head, whining. It took him exactly two seconds to find his mother off screen and run to her, crying.

Valentine looked bored. “Impressive, but not what I need.” He murmured. “This whole experiment is worthless, they’re barely immune. Get rid of them and start over.”

“But king!” Mad’s mother was back talking, barely on screen. “Don’t you see the opportunity we have?” She looked disgusted with herself. “If we can control and, and train them! If we can control and train them, you’ll be unstoppable. Your wife will have all the protection she’ll need! And who knows, their immunity might grow in time!”

Anti’s mother flipped him off behind his back as he thought about it. “Two more years.” He said. “If they haven’t developed any more immunity, then dispose of them. I want you working on a new immunity project by the end of the month.”

“Yes sir, of course.”]

[Another title card showed up. It was blank.

“-ure about this?” A male voice said, and Mare’s dad stood in the camera’s view, holding onto Mare as he spoke to his wife. He wore a jacket over a muscle shirt, which only barely hid the Boomer tattoo on his shoulder.

“I promise.” Mare’s mom kissed his cheek before tickling her son, who giggled. The dad grimaced before putting him down on the floor.

“Personal project test 17.” Dark’s mother started talking, and Anti’s mom rolled out the large container with the sphere inside. “This is the first test with the catalyst in direct contact with the subject. Alright, I’m opening it.”

“Pay close attention.” Mad’s mother advised as the container opened.

“Where are the others?” Anti’s mom whispered.

“In the other room with their fathers.” Mad’s mom whispered back as they watched Mare stare at the catalyst. “It’s very likely that this thing will give Mad a headache, and I don’t want him near it until I can figure out how to fix that.”

“Mommy.” The two year old whispered. His voice had gone strange. “It’s pwetty…” he held out a hand to touch it.

“Honey.” His mom held him back. “You shouldn’t touch strange things, you know that. You promised me you wouldn’t touch it.”

But Mare wasn’t listening. “I wanna touch it!” He argued. “Lemme touch it!”

His mom frowned. Her eyes widened. Then she let go, leaving the toddler to waddle towards it.

“What are you doing-“ Mare’s dad picked him up before he could touch the catalyst. “Why’d you let him go?”

“Daddy!” Mare cried. “Daddy, lemme go, lemme down!”

His dad froze, before setting his child down and backing away. Mare didn’t notice, a hungry gleam in the child’s eyes as he reached for the catalyst.

Mad’s mom seemed to understand, though. “Close the container!” She yelled.

Dark’s mom slammed the button down, closing the container. Mare cried, but had no control when his parents came to pick him up.

The other three scientists shared looks. “He controlled them.” Mad’s mom whispered. “With the catalyst- he can control people. What can the others do?”

“Valentine can’t know.” Mare’s dad spoke up. “Elliot can’t know. Karlson can’t know, no one can know.”

“Did you find-“ Mare’s mom started, But was stopped by Mad’s mom.

“Of course.” She nodded. “Is it time?”

“They can’t know.” Dark’s mom whispered. “If Valentine hears then they’ll never get out-“

“Shh!” Anti’s mom said, before pointing to the camera. Dark’s mom ran over to it, turning it off. ]

[There had been a significant time skip into the next video. Their moms looked much more like the moms they remember, all in long sleeves and turtlenecks. The background had also changed to the hidden room underneath Mad's house.

There were also four bassinets in the room.

"So." Anti's mom started off, uncaring of her casual demeanor. "We fucked up."

"Basically." Mare's mom agreed.

"Well." Dark's mom stepped in. "At least we don't have to worry about zombies anymore."

Mare's mom called out to Mad's mother. "You explain, you're still good at that scientist voice."

"Ugh." She said from off screen. "Alright. It appears that when we first injected bacteria into the embryos of our first children, we did not think about the result it will have on future children. It seems to be that all of the bacteria that didn't merge with the first embryos did join with the second, creating-"

"The perfect immune." Mare's mom grabbed her baby, Nate, from his bassinet and kissed his forehead. "This is bittersweet, isn't it?"

He cooed.

"So." Anti's mother continued. "We found out how to immunize babies. If we continue with this research, we might be able to cure everyone in Haven. We'll be able to stop an outbreak from happening."

"Maybe." Dark's mother continued. "These bacteria can be used as a weapon against the zombies. Maybe we can ask Elliot."

The room became quiet. "We're _ not _ going to the Boomer King for help on this!" Mare's mother spat.

"It might help." Mad's mother admitted. "He has people who understand weapons. Imagine having a grenade that only hurts zombies."

"Imagine him knowing that some of his men married Maniacs that worked specifically in biological Immunity." Anti's mother objected. "Imagine him knowing that they had kids. He's not stupid, and it would only go two ways."

Dark's mother snorted. "You really believe those rumors? Elliot is _ not _ taking kids from their families. Just because some crazy lady lost her twins doesn't mean-"

"I don't trust him around Nate." Mare's mother retorted. "And I  _ absolutely _ don't trust him around Mare. You guys see it. His powers are developing way more than the others, and he was the only one who was ever by the catalyst! We shouldn't've let him near that catalyst! We should've known!"

"There's nothing we can do to change the past!" Mad's mother yelled. "They're all safe! Elliot doesn't need to know about them, but we have a duty to Haven! If we can make this place safer, then we should! They'll be living in this world much longer than us, and we can't protect them forever."

"Boomers are in charge of security in Haven." Dark's mother added on. "If this can help us protect the wall, and thus the people inside it, then we should do it."]

That was the last video.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, I'll do my best to reply in the comments (unless it would spoil something). Thanks for reading


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone needs comfort and all meetings are hoaxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mare and Anti are stupid. When they're together, the stupidness combines until they think a bad idea is a good idea.

Mad, being Mad, had rewatched the videos several times over one night. Mare had stayed up with him for a few hours before passing out. Dark and Anti had seen them all one more time before leaving the room.

And the building.

They ended up at the wall. Haven's wall was guarded by normal men and Boomers, for the most part. The Boomers put a lot of money into the security of Haven, so it wasn't surprising.

The guards took one look at them, gave them a better gun, and turned the other way.

That's what led them to the top of the wall, taking turns taking pot shots. They hadn't done this in months, but boy was it therapeutic.

When it was Anti's turn to take the gun, he spent a minute looking through the scope before sighing. After another moment, he put it down and sat. "I don't believe it." He murmured. "Saw it with me own eyes but I don't believe it."

Dark took that as a cue to sit down too. "Me neither." He rumbled, but he obviously wasn't as freaked by it as Anti was, so he let Anti talk.

"I mean, it's ridiculous to even consider, right?" He looked at Dark to back him up, and when he didn't he became more frantic. "Right?"

"All of our lives-" Dark started off, licking his lips. "All of our lives, haven't you wondered why all of this strange stuff happened to us? Why when we get angry the lights flicker or the room gets darker? Why things have a tendency to fall when Mad's around? Why _ Mare _ can _ charm _ people?"

Everything else could've been a coincidence, but Mare couldn't be. They had always thought Mare was different, special, in that aspect, but they never thought it applied to all of them. They should've, though. Their brothers are the strongest immunes ever seen. No wonder, they were genetically engineered that way. Or, at least,  _ they _ were, and their brothers just got Immunity as an unseen side effect.

Anti stuck his head in his hands. "It's just so much at one time. I mean, we now have Evelyn on our side, but now Valentine  _ knows _ that our brothers are the immunes he was looking for. We don't know how much he knows about us, we don't know how much _ anyone _ knows about us. Did Elliot tell Evelyn about us before he died, and she just hasn't connected the dots? Does Karlson know? Did he do something to Mad that we don't know about? We're rolling around in the dark here!"

"Calm down." Dark said somewhat sternly. "We're not blind here- yes, Valentine knows, but he most likely already knew they were immune due to what they did to Mad. They  _ don _ 't know where they are, though. And they  _ don _ 't know that Evelyn is on our side. If anything, they're the ones in the dark here."

Anti sighed, sliding a hand down his face. "I just-"

Dark pulled him into a side hug. Neither of them did the physical contact thing- with the single exception of their brothers. Both were much too paranoid for that, to the point where even sparring became a sparse thing, in comparison to Mad and Mare. But every now and then…

Everyone has a breaking point, Anti's is just his stress. He cares more than anyone would ever think he does. Only a handful of people know differently.

Anti sagged into the hug, relaxing. Dark looked down the length of the wall- they were alone. He shifted, getting more comfortable on the wall.

It would be a long night.

  
  


Mare walked into the Septic base to a nervous looking recruit. He was training to become an assassin, Mare had seen him around before, he had even sat in on his training once or twice. He had promise. "Yes?"

"T-they stopped me on the way here." He wasn't easily spooked, so this put Mare on edge. "I was no match- they gave me this." He handed a letter to Mare. "I was looking for Felix, so he could read it over, but I couldn't-"

By this time Mare had opened the letter and read it, cutting him off. "Who gave this to you?" He said sharply.

The recruit gulped. "The Maniac queen." He said softly. "Caught me on patrol. Viper territory."

After making sure he wasn't hurt, Mare dismissed him, almost stomping up to Anti's office. "They're getting cocky."

"What?" Anti asked, confused as Mare jabbed at the paper in his hand. "What are you talking about?"

"The Maniacs!" Mare growled. "Their queen, she attacked one of our patrols. She's trying to set up a meeting."

Anti stood up, snatching the paper. "A meeting set for an hour from now… with _ only _ you and her lot?" Anti snorted, angry. "Please."

"Whatever she's trying, it's not going to work." Mare said angrily. "I'm going over there and ripping them  _ all _ a new one!"

"What?!" Anti looked shocked for a moment. "Mare, you are _ not _ going to meet them by yourself. The meeting's in fucking Viper territory, _ they're going to be there too!" _

"Give me that catalyst that Dark found and you'll see that numbers don't matter." Mare raised his voice. "Let's see them mess with us after that!"

"Jesus-fucking-Christ Mare!" Anti almost shouted back. "That's exactly what they fucking want you to do!" Anti paused, taking a deep breath. The next time he spoke, his voice was controlled. "Mad was targeted because he's smart and no one knows his face. They were being cautious. Now it seems like they don't care anymore. They must think that whatever they have up their sleeves is clever enough to not only beat you but cheat the system. I'm not letting you go out there-"

Mare snorted. "We're alone in here, Anti, I don't have to follow your every order. They want a meeting, I'm going to go see what they want."

"Would you please  _ shut up _ ." Anti said through gritted teeth. "You're not going out there _ alone,  _ Mare. We're telling Dark and Mad what's happening, and then we're _ both _ going to this 'meeting'."

Mare paused, blinking slowly. "Oh." He said. "Ok. What about the catalyst?"

"No." Anti shut him down. "There is no way I'm giving them even the slightest chance of getting their hands on that. Besides, Mad has it."

Right, Mare forgot. The other queen was trying to figure out the use of Dark's powers via catalyst. And maybe even see if he can get his own working. "Alright." He checked his watch. "We need to leave now to be on time."

"We'll get there when we get there." Anti waved him off. "They may have made the meeting, but we don't have to follow their rules."

  
  


The Viper's territory flourished under their command on most days, so it was surprising that everyone was off the streets. Mare parked the car in an easy to getaway spot before slowly getting out. While he wore no mask, he had donned a bulletproof outfit that made him look like a bodybuilder underneath all his layers. Anti had gone for thinner protection, so it was impossible to see under his clothes.

The building with their supposed meeting was small, surprisingly, and held no area for an ambush. Unsurprisingly, both Valentine and Karlson were there, with the Maniac queen in tow. Mare was immediately on guard. Where was the Viper queen?

"My queen is busy handling our territory." Karlson spoke as if he read Mare's mind. "She won't be able to make it today."

It sounded genuine enough. Anti was the first to take a seat, acting relaxed as he slid into a wooden chair. The creaking almost made Mare jump, but Anti didn't seem to notice at all. "We're all busy people." Anti started off causally. "What's this meeting about?"

"We have some important questions for your queen." Valentine answered as Mare finally sat down. "As you know,  _ Anti, _ you and Dark found something very important last time you visited us."

Both Anti and Mare were surprised that he wasn't beating around the bush, Anti even moreso that he had decided to use first names. It was more of a respect thing than anything else to call them kings, so he guesses he knows the reason why they stopped.

"We did." Anti nodded, crossing his arms. "And  _ wow, _ didn't that clear up some things."

"I'm guessing you've kept her alive all these years, right?" Mare finally added in, seeing a tight look enter Valentine's face. "Poor soul. She deserves to rest."

He was pushing buttons he shouldn't push, but at the moment he felt evenly matched. He had no doubt that Anti could take both Valentine and Karlson on as he fought the Maniac queen, if necessary. As long as they could get their weapons out first.

"We're not here to talk about her." The Maniac queen's voice was robotic but aggressive. She took a second before calming. "We're here to find out how much we all know. With all the animosity brewing in the air, it's better to work together then apart."

Anti snorted, but it was Mare who spoke next, hands clenched into fists. "Work together?" He asked. " _ Work together? _ What makes you think that would happen, after everything you've both done? You-" he rounded on Valentine, furious. "-have not only tried to kidnap children under the Shadows protection, but you also held my king as a hostage for a short period of time.  _ You killed our parents." _ Then he rounded on Karlson. "And you've tried to kill Anti as well, and got me arrested! Not to mention you _ tortured _ my best friend."

Mare leaned back with a huff, arms crossed and face in a pout. Anti just laid a hand on his shoulder. "And you wonder why there's such animosity." He muttered.

While the Maniacs were somewhat shocked, Karlson wasn't, and spoke up. "How much did your friend tell you of his time with us? We had a few well meaning conversations. It was sad that we had to go as far as branding, but he was being uncooperative."

Anti didn't know what he was trying to do, but it obviously didn't go as intended, because the light bulb was now flickering and Mare looked murderous.

Valentine looked at the light with interest, glancing at Anti, who was still leaned back, arms crossed in his chair. "Do you have control over it?" He asked, ignoring everyone else.

"I don't think that's any of your concern." Anti snapped.

"Actually, to the contrary." Valentine smiled, a thin thing that Mare wanted to shoot off his face. "Without me, you would have never been created. Don't forget, you all are just a science experiment, created by the Maniacs. You belong to us."

"That's shit." Anti said suddenly. "So what, our moms decided to do some shit with the Maniacs before bailing. Don't you know that our dads worked for the Boomers? By what you say, they have just as much right over us as you. And you know what we did to Elliot."

"But he didn't help create you." Valentine's face hardened, and he leaned closer. "Without me, you nor your little brothers would've ever been born. Don't think I can't end your existence, just like I created it."

Anti glanced at Mare. "Was that a threat?"

Mare gave him a small smile before standing up. "Yes it was. This was a complete waste of time."

He heard the safety of a gun click off before he saw it, and Anti frowned as he turned back around. Of course, it was the Maniac queen. What he didn't notice was Mare's own gun pointed at her.

She changed her target to Anti before facing Mare. "You still have something we want."

"Like we would ever give anything to you." Mare scoffed, finger twitching on the trigger. "Get that gun off him."

"Sit back down." The queen nodded to the others, who both trained a gun on Mare. 

Anti knew this was a bad idea. He had his own gun, tucked away, but he also knew that the queen would not hesitate to shoot him if he so much as twitched the wrong way. Slowly, he lowered himself back into his seat. "What do you want?"

"Some blood samples." Karlson took a few viles out of his bag. "It's good that you came, makes it easier for us."

He got up, keeping a steady gun on Mare before holding a vile to the side of Anti's neck and pressing a button. He grunted as a needle pricked his neck and started drawing out blood.

Once he was done, he moved to Mare, who glared in warning. "You're in no place where you can attack me right now." Karlson said with an almost giddy note in his voice. "You really are interesting, aren't you? You can control people with your voice. A human weapon- your mothers were geniuses."

Mare took a step back when Karlson came closer, but stopped when the queen shoved her gun in Anti's face. "I told you this was a bad idea." The Septic king called out, before something popped up in his mind. "Do you still have the band?"

Mare looked confused, before his eyes lit up and his gun lowered. Karlson took that as his cue to move forward. He didn't notice when Mare moved his hand around the band on his wrist.

**"** **_Everyone but Anti, drop your weapons and leave through the backdoor._ ** **"**

It was quiet for a moment, before guns clattered to the floor and people started moving. Anti got up quickly, grabbing Mare's wrist and leading him out.

"Fascinating." He heard Karlson say.

  
  


"That went as well as I expected." Mad said with little enthusiasm. After hearing said story of their meeting, he looked as annoyed as they felt. "Karlson probably got my blood already, though I don't know what he wants it for."

"The guy's weirder than I thought he was." Anti said, rubbing his neck, where the puncture mark had scabbed. "But it doesn't matter, you heard the videos. Our blood isn't special."

Dark remained silent, and Mare took over. "I think it's time we start fighting back."

Mad looked over in interest. "What do you mean?"

"I say we call another Queen's conference." Mare explained, ignoring the looks he got. "At the conference we aggravate one of the queens. We know they tailed us last time- they could do it again. But this time, we fight back."

Mad and Anti thought over the idea, but it was Dark who said, "Definitely the Maniac queen. She's hotheaded and younger then the Viper queen- she's more likely to fall for it."

They all thought it over. "I think it's time." Mad agreed, moving over to one of his comms. "I'll tell Evelyn."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno why they thought going at all was a good idea, don't ask me.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death at the Queens' Conference

"I don't know." Mad said suddenly. "We wouldn't need to build a new dock if the Maniacs allowed fishing in their territory."

Mare sat back to watch the queen's reaction. While the conference had been a last minute kind of thing, it was still helpful because they always had stuff that needed to be done. The Viper queen had just brought up a seafood shortage and was trying to get the Shadows to build more docks to store more fish. It wasn't completely out of the question, but they wouldn't be in a shortage if the Maniacs weren't such pricks.

The Maniac queen was silent for a second. "We don't allow other people in our territory." She said slowly. "You've been warned of the penalty."

"This is a food shortage." Mare joined in. "Just open up some of your docks for a few weeks, until this is back under control."

"It doesn't seem like too hard of a request." Elijah said, sounding neutral but Mare smiled under the mask.

The Maniac queen looked at the Viper queen, who was silent. It was mostly Shadows and Septics who caught and delivered seafood, so of course the Vipers were in the worst position.

"This can be discussed later." The Maniac queen said softly, but with a bit of edge in her voice. "There are other matters as well- the government of Haven is cracking down on our operations."

Elijah sounded sceptical. "I haven't seen anything that shows me that." 

"Neither have I." Mad added in a murmur.

"They've put more police on the streets." She insisted. "They're pulling off more arrests."

"Wonder why." Mare murmured, and the queen looked sharply at him, even with a mask on. "They aren't a problem as long as you don't cause one."

_ Maybe you shouldn't kidnap people and sell them as slaves. _ His mechanical tone said.  _ Maybe you shouldn't cut them up for their organs. _

The queen bristled at the comment, but Mad spoke next. "The police are not a problem, as long as you're quick enough as well. It's very easy to get out of confinement if it isn't thought out."

That was an attack on both the Viper and Maniac queen, but the Maniac queen was the one who went stiff at the shoulders, while the Viper queen looked… ashamed. Mad caught Mare's eyes, and even with the mask he could tell he was grinning. Mare kept his body language neutral.

"What can you do about it?" The queen asked Elijah, since the Boomers practically owned half of the security force.

"Nothing." His voice gave nothing away. "We may control some of the police force, but that is without their knowledge. If we show our hand, we'll lose it."

"It would be best if you stay under the radar for a few weeks." Mad suggested lightly. "Lie low so that the police will lose your trail. Maybe they'll become cocky, and if they catch any of you, you'll be able to escape through their arrogance."

It was quiet for a few moments. The queen actually looked speechless.

"The power stations close to our border seem to be acting up." Mare cut off the conversation, turning to the Viper queen. "I can send some of our electricians to look at it, if you'd like."

"That would be appreciated." The Viper queen said diplomatically as the Maniac queen shook in anger across from them.

  
  
  


Mad skipped over a rock as he left the meeting. That had gone better than expected. He had passive aggressively attacked a queen while getting stuff done. The Viper queen had been very passive as well, leaving their ally defenseless. Maybe the Vipers were calling this feud quits. The Septics and Shadows had stopped trading with them, and that seemed to be hitting them harder than they realized. The seafood shortage was one thing, but the power station? That was the Viper's niche outside of drugs, and they couldn't support it?

He pretended not to hear the footsteps behind him as he turned into an alleyway. Once he stepped out onto the other side, he'd be in Shadow territory.

"I can't believe you thought you could get away with that."

Mad paused, turning around to face the Maniac queen. She was furious, it was easy to tell, but luckily it seemed like she had left her gun at home. No gun, no worry. Her marksmanship is her only strong point.

"What do you want?" Mad acted dumb, pretending like he couldn't tell exactly what she wanted by her body language.

The queen didn't answer, only moving forward, knife she was hiding  _ somewhere _ appearing and slicing down. Mad sidestepped and started going back towards Boomer territory. "Trying to attack me on my own territory? Risky." He warned.

The queen seemed to snarl, taking a step forward. "I'm done with you and your group's comments about me! I'm stronger than you realize!"

Mad tilted his masked head and stared. "Mmm… no, I don't see it."

She darted forward, knife swiping. Mad moved back, narrowly avoiding it. She brought it back around and tried to slice his eye out. The real problem was that the queen was fast, very fast, so Mad only had enough time to block with the meaty part of his own arm. The knife bit into skin, but Mad ignored it, pushing her back.

"Are you still so weak as to not fight back?" The queen laughed. "Or did the Vipers take away your will? I thought you gained some balls due to the third ceremony, but I guess I was wrong. Can't fix something permanently broken, can you?"

Mad frowned. "Shut up." He spat, holding his ground.

"Oh, did that hit a sore spot?" The queen's voice went into a pout. "Look at the queen of the Shadows- or can we even call you that anymore? The first queen ever to wear another gang's mark. Pathetic."

"You talk too much."

The queen whirled around to see Mare at the other end of the alley, boxing her in. Mad grinned. "Took you long enough."

"I took the scenic route." Mare replied. "Had to feed the squirrels."

"Can't believe you think so lowly of me." Mad said to the queen. "Of course we knew you would want revenge. Why'd you think we called the conference in the first place?"

The queen went stiff, before her hackles raised. Mad could see the difference. This wasn't anger or fury, this was raw animal instincts now. She knew she couldn't beat the both of them.

Suddenly, she spun around, lunging at Mare. Startled, he jumped back, avoiding being stabbed. On the second swing, Mare grabbed her arm and twisted it. She went in the direction to avoid breaking her arm, using the momentum to kick him squarely in the face.

He staggered back, and she went in for the kill. "Ouch." Mad commented, stopping her in her tracks in way of grabbing her hood. It was yanked off from the force, showcasing her brown hair.

She didn't seem to care, spinning around and swiping with her knife. It cut a shallow slice into his shoulder before he backed away.

The queen stood still for a moment. "Pathetic." She snapped. "You two aren't even fighting back."

"Well  _ duh _ ." Mare rumbled. A thin line of blood emerged from under his mask, a bloody nose most likely. "We obviously don't have any weapons while you obviously do."

"You didn't think this through." She said in realization, and Mad let her believe it.

_ Of course _ he thought this through.

She attacked with a new fury, less wild with her movements, which was a bit of a problem because she was skilled. Mad got a solid kick to the stomach, and he had to fall backwards to avoid any more damage as Mare took over distracting her.

Mad waited until Mare was close enough to him before pulling him out of harm's way, tag teaming him before punching the queen hard enough to crack her mask and throwing her over his shoulder. 

He could have a  _ little _ bit of fun, couldn't he?

She skidded across the ground before rolling and picking herself up. She stood still for a moment, mask falling off to reveal a young face. 

"You attacked me." Mad called out when she started to move again. "That's against the pact rules."

"I don't give a fuck about old rules made by old stuck up assholes." She spat. "You fucks are stopping me from helping my mother. Horrible people."

"We're horrible?" Mare joined in. "Your father killed our parents. Don't talk to us about 'horrible'."

"You know I was there." She said suddenly, and the two froze. "It was my first mission. Dad didn't say much, 'get rid of these old traitors. Take the kids if you see them' I had wondered where you guys were at the time. Would've been so much different if you guys had just stayed home." Her mouth curled into an ugly smile. "You should've seen them- we made it look random, but it really wasn't. We went into each house, Valentine wanted to kill your mothers personally, but he let me shoot your dads. You could've at least said goodbye, if you were ther-"

A loud, sharp sound, and she choked, clutching her neck. She fell to her knees, eyes wide in pain and fear.

"Finally, you stop talking." Mare murmured. Blood dripped between her fingers as Mare kneeled next to her. "You're looking scared, don't be. Your dad's gonna join you soon."

"Don't mock the corpse." Mad said, glancing down at her. "She's just a brainwashed child following her delusional dad."

She choked, as if she was going to say something. Then, her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she stilled.

Mare sighed, standing up. "Guess having a baby while you're infected isn't the way to go."

"Apparently." Mad turned towards a rooftop, nodding to Bob, who was putting away his rifle. Mad looked back down at the corpse. "No going back now." 

Mare walked up to him, hand grabbing his arm, right over his tattoo. "We couldn't go back after this." He said. "We were stuck on this path long before we killed her."


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Retaliation

It was quiet for a total of 17 hours before someone shot up the Shadow house.

At least, tried. The house wasn't made of drywall.

It was multiple people, obviously Maniac. A group of thirty or so, all with guns, shooting everyone they saw.

"Bob, Jason!" Dark snapped. "Back door! Sound code red for the surrounding neighborhood, make sure everyone is inside and safe!"

The two thirds disappeared, ducking their heads. Mad ran through the door, tossing him a vest before running back out, two guns in his hand and a determined look on his face.

Dark almost wanted to just go out there and just _watch_ the carnage.

He grabbed some extra ammo for his own gun before slinking out of his office and standing on the balcony. Below him was a massive fight, with his side easily winning. Most of the Shadow lackeys had gotten out of the way, leaving only Shadow assassins to deal with the problem. The Maniacs had already lost ten, while he only had one injured. They didn't know how to handle guns well, apparently.

Mad appeared from a doorway downstairs and walked out, unworried. He raised his hands and just started shooting, hitting someone with each bullet. After a moment he hit the floor, sliding behind a pillar.

Dark looked over the balcony and shot someone hidden in a corner, before going around and shooting those harder to see in the back. Ten tense minutes passed before everyone was either dead or wounded.

Mad scoffed from where he was downstairs as Dark turned back to go into his office.

Thank god the children and Chica weren't here.

Dark grabbed the first operative that passed. "Go find Henry. Tell him I need the entire territory search several times over for any other Maniacs. And I want to know how so many got through unnoticed!"

The man nodded and scrambled away. He almost bumped into Mad as he made his way over. "One dead, six wounded." He announced. "Lost Jessie. Maniacs lost twenty-three, the other twelve are in our custody. Three ran, I got some people chasing them."

Dark sighed. "Where's his sister, we have to tell her."

Mad sighed. "She was there when he was shot. She said her goodbyes before he died." He winced. "She killed more of them than I did."

Dark grimaced. It wasn't as bad as it could've been. "Give her two months of paid leave, and pay for the funeral. Assign her a therapist as well." She and her brother were the best assassins they had, it was the least they could do.

"Already on it." Mad looked down at the carnage, staring at the bodies. "We need to burn these. Some of them might turn."

The queen disappeared, off to clean up the mess of the fight. He watched the corpses, tapping a finger on his gun. After a moment, he raised it and fired once into one of their heads. Some Shadows jumped, but none pulled a gun on him. The body he had just shot went limp again, hand falling away from a Shadow's leg.

Bob appeared behind him. "No civilians were hurt." He announced. "Anti's trying to call you."

"Who told him?" Dark asked.

"No one." Bob replied. "Said he had a feeling something happened."

Dark arched a brow but said nothing as he went to get his comm.

  
  


"Maniacs attacked them." Anti said after a few minutes of him talking quietly on the comm. "Thirty or so, no Valentine. Think they got your gift, you _psychopath."_

Mare snorted. "You were the one who said to stuff her in a box and mail it."

"A joke. Humor is not dead." Anti walked to the door, opening it and grabbing an operative as he passed. "Double patrol and put the base on yellow alert."

He closed the door as Mare stretched out. "I feel quite a bit more relaxed now." He said. "One queen down, Valentine's lost his shit, and the Vipers are acting normal again."

Anti frowned. "I don't trust them. Vipers worry me more than the Maniacs, 'cause they think more with their heads then with their wallets. Besides, they're still in on this. They took my blood four days ago, if you remember."

Mare scowled but said nothing as one of the comms went off. Anti looked over at it in confusion. This wasn't one to the Shadows or Boomers. He picked it up. "What is it?" He asked, a bit worried.

"There's a problem." Phil said over the line. "Mark and Jack are missing. We woke up and they were gone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, didn't realize it was so short when I wrote it.  
> Also, I love the idea of Mad being the type to duel wield guns. I think Anti would use two guns as well.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dan panics the way I panic. That is all.

He's never seen someone move as fast as Dan did when he went to wake the kids up. He just went up, and then minutes later he ran back down in a frenzy of 'we're missing two we lost two of them we only had four to begin with how'd we lose half of them this is bad where are they dog sniff them out no don't lick my hand sniff them out oh you're useless don't make that cute face this isn't the time alright you're a good girl wait a second we're missing two where are they??'

Phil stared, pancake (these are _heavenly-)_ on a plate. "What?"

"Jack and Mark are gone." Dan said slowly.

For the next hour there was chaos in the house as they tried to find out where they were. Mat and Nate said nothing had come in the room, and Chica looked innocent so she hadn't eaten them or anything. It took a bit of interrogation for Mat to finally say that Jack and Mark were talking about sneaking out and visiting their brothers.

"We thought that we should just wait." Nate added. "But they really wanted to go. They said they'd be back by morning though."

Phil wanted to ground them. Instead, he phoned Anti after an hour of searching.

 _"Keep Mat and Nate there."_ Mare had taken the comm at some point. _"Shadows just had a skermish so it's not safe for them to be back yet."_ Anti cursed in the background.

Phil hung up a bit later, turning back to the two still under his protection. "So." He said after a moment, trying not to look at their worried faces. "What exactly is Star Wars?"

That got them out of their funk.

  
  


"Another thing on top of another thing!"

"There's no way they weren't grabbed." Mad said sullenly. "Maniacs are running around Shadow territory, and I doubt they would split up. They'd both would come here, because it's closer. If they got lost then someone would find them and everyone in this territory _knows_ they're under Shadow protection. Someone would've called or they'd be here if they were still in this territory."

"Same for the Septics." Mare had driven over with Anti after sharing the news. Both Anti and Dark were silent, faces hard.

Mad left the room for a moment, coming back minutes later. He had a comm. "The captain of the attack team had this on his body." He said. "It most likely goes straight to Valentine-"

Dark grabbed it from his hand, turning it on. It was static for a moment before Valentine spoke. _"I doubt you're still alive, so who am I talking to?"_

"Dark." He said with an almost inhuman growl. "Where. Is. My. Brother?"

 _"Oh, you already know?"_ He didn't sound phased. _"He's fine. My men found him and the other one wandering around. You should watch them better, Dark."_

Dark was about to crush the comm, so Mad took it from his hand. "For your sake, I hope they're not hurt, Valentine."

 _"They're fine."_ He waved the question away. _"Eating cookies, I think. Just took a bit of blood, that's all."_ He paused. _"For now. I need Karlson before I can continue."_

Everything in the entire house was starting to flicker, and the shadows on the wall were much too big. Mad glared at them, pointing at the comm which was starting to go static. Anti took a deep breath.

 _"I'm guessing Anti isn't too happy right now."_ Valentine said. _"Trust me, I know what it's like to raise a loved one before having them ripped out of your hands."_ His voice turned venomous. _"At least this time a life will be saved."_

He turned the comm off.

Moments later, the power in the building went out, and the sun outside seemed to dim.

  
  


"They're ballistic." Mare said. "They're going to get themselves killed. We gotta go instead."

"Can't." Mad zipped up some combat boots. "They're safer going to Maniacs if we go to Vipers and distract them from helping Valentine."

Mare's nose twitched. "We shouldn't split up."

"We can't wait." Mad retorted. "Karlson has that catalyst and my notes that explain how it affects our powers. That's a weapon I don't want anyone outside of us four to have."

"What?" Mare whipped around. "They took it?"

"During the raid." Mad explained. "Someone snuck in during it. I never even realized."

Mare was silent for a moment. "Why are _we_ getting it? As far as the videos and notes say, it affects us the worse." _It affects you the worse_ was left unsaid.

"I know." Mad said softly, eyes far away. "I've thought about it. I have."

Mare didn't… know what to do. He wasn't good at the comfort thing, and it seemed like Mad could use some. His relationship with his best friend had been rocky in the last couple weeks, but Mad was still his best friend and damnit he wanted to _help._

When Mare didn't answer, Mad finished packing up, shouldering the bag. "I got a car waiting outside." He moved to leave. "When you're ready meet me out-" Mare stopped him from leaving. "Yes?"

Mare fumbled in words. His eyes caught suddenly on the mark. "Don't be doing this for revenge." He blurted.

Seriously, Mare?

Mad's eyes narrowed. "I'm not." He spat, and it seemed like the truth.

"I know." He backtracked. "I'm just… worried?"

A smile cracked the corner of his mouth. "Awe, Mare's worried." He teased. "It's a few years too late to worry about what I'm doing, Mare."

Mare wondered if he ever regretted it, all of this. If he would ever go back. Mare would. If he was able to go back to the day before the shooting, to somehow get them out of the house, he would. He knows it's selfish, they've saved a surprising amount of lives, doing what they do.

Mad caught sight of the glass of liquor he had left on his desk. He picked it up, about to down the rest of it in one go.

Mare caught his arm. "When did you start drinking so much?"

The glass was half empty, which means he already had some to drink. Mad wasn't the type to drink. Mare's seen him throw back a few different concoctions several times in the past few weeks.

Mad shrugged. "Dunno." He said lightly. "Maybe my taste buds have finally gotten used to it."

That was obviously not true, as his face went into obvious disgust every time he took a drink. He looked like he hated himself every time he swallowed the poison.

"You know that before judgement day the alcohol was made through the process of time?" Mad changed the subject. "They would wait years for fermentation sometimes. Haven doesn't have the room for it, so we just use acid to speed up the process."

So it _was_ poison. Literal poison. "We could find _so many_ vineyards outside the walls." Mad continued. "We should do that, after all of this is done. Have a bit of an adventure, explore. Finally see what's beyond the wall. See the past."

That could be fun, just as it could be suicidal. Sure, Mare knew a few ways past the walls without problem, but he'd rather deal with humans then the zombie infested world outside. He heard that all of the old towns and cities smell permanently of rotting flesh. They say it took five years to completely get rid of the smell from Haven, and the city it was before that. While the name of the city had been lost for awhile, Mare remembers two letters, DC, and he swears that no one else told him it. It had to be the initials of the city, but no immune told him.

Maybe it was the bacteria in _him._

It was weird to think that he was technically immune too.

"Mare." Mad snapped him out of his thoughts. He was still holding Mad's arm. "You zoned out."

Mare stared at him for a couple more minutes before taking the glass and finishing it off himself. The liquor was strong, strong enough to not just burn, but actually _hurt_ on the way down. "Don't drink anymore." He meant to sound stern but it was more pleading than anything else. "We both know you hate it. _I_ hate the thought of you hurting yourself on purpose."

He set the glass down and left the room, heading towards the car waiting for them.

  
  


"Best plan ever." Anti deadpanned. "Why don't we just go in there and give ourselves up? Even better!"

"You act like we won't have protection." Dark murmured. "We have to be quiet. If they see us, we won't make it to Jack and Mark. Did you pack the cloaks?"

"I packed the cloaks." He murmured, putting a drawstring bag on his back. He stood up, checking the time. "One hour till sundown."

It'll take us at least three to get there." Dark looked around the room, eyes settling on a picture frame before quickly moving away. 

At that moment Jason walked in, pausing to whistle. "You look like assassins."

They had donned one of the Shadow's assassin's outfits, two black cloaks with hoods that went from head to toe. Dark had buttoned his up completely, while Anti had his fluttering around him, open. Underneath the cloak he wore baggy but light black clothes, fabric that made no noise but had enough extra room to pack a vest underneath.

"Thank you." Anti made a show of it, before going serious again. "Dark'll call you at daybreak with an update. Hopefully, we'll be back by then, though."

Jason nodded. "I've got Mad and Mare calling a bit earlier, so I'll tell you what they tell me when you call."

Anti doesn't know who decided that, but he liked it. "Perfect. If you hear anything suspicious, get them out." The catalyst is important, but the Viper territory was much more protected than the Maniac territory, especially now that the Maniacs were down a queen.

Dark had left at some point, and had now shown his face again. "Let's get going."

The few hours it took to get there was quiet. It was the farthest they've ever gone into Maniac territory. Since the front lines by the borders were destroyed, Anti expected the rest to look the same, but once they got closer to the main base, the ruins turned into mansions.

"They took apart all of these houses just to build a palace for themselves." Dark murmured, eyes going dark.

Anti stared ahead. "Mare told me that-" he paused, licking his lips. "-that Valentine was the one who killed our moms. He said that the queen had killed our dads."

"Mad said the same to me." Dark confirmed, voice as tight as his fingers around the steering wheel. "Don't think too hard on it. It could be a lie, just to mess with us."

It was weak, and they both knew it. "Yeah." Anti said anyway. He looked up. "Is this it?"

"Has to be." The building in front of them seemed to look over them. Dark moved the stolen Maniac car into a dark alley, keeping the lights off. They could see a few men laughing in the shadows, but the time meant that they were far and few between.

The car turned off, and the two friends shared a look. "Keep your safety on." Dark murmured, "Do whatever you can to keep it on."

Anti stared ahead for a moment before chuckling. "Don't worry Dark." His hand moved, and suddenly a knife that looked much too sharp and way too big had appeared in his hand. "I've been meaning to use this for awhile now."

Dark looked baffled. Anti grinned. "Come-on. I don't want to wait any longer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While Washington DC isn't next to the ocean, I think that in the years to pass the water level will have raised enough to put the city right next to the ocean. Who knows what a zombie apocalypse would do to the earth? Anything's possible!
> 
> Also don't believe them, Chica totally ate them!


	23. Chapter 23

The city was quiet at night.

It was the kind of quiet that usually made Dark relax. The kind where he would make some hot chocolate and take his brother out to the piers. They'd sit and watch the stars until Mark fell asleep and he would drive them home.

He wished he was doing that right now.

They snuck through a back window into an empty storage room. The halls were completely empty, and Dark soon found out why.

Along the halls were signs, all saying the same thing.  **'SECURE AREA. ANYONE WITHOUT CREDENTIALS TO BE HERE WILL BE KILLED** **IMMEDIATELY!** **'**

"Overkill." Anti muttered, sneaking around the hallway to an open door. He froze, holding a hand up to keep Dark from speaking. He held up two fingers.

Dark crept to his side, glancing inside the room. Two scientists stood around a computer, murmuring about a time frame of some type.

Dark pointed to one of them, and then himself. Anti nodded, and they both slipped into the room. The room dimmed slightly, but the scientists didn't realize. Dark cursed and thanked himself, pushing his body farther into the shadows he had just created.

They both took opposite sides of the room, inching closer. Dark watched his man closely, tense, almost positive that he would feel someone watching him.

The other man looked up and caught his eye.

Anti surged forward, snapping his neck swiftly and cleanly. The man slumped to the floor and his guy jumped back.

Dark sprang forward, locking his arms around him and squeezing. The man fought for a few seconds before going limp. Dark waited a few more moments before jerking his arms, snapping the man's neck as well.

Anti looked up at him and grinned. Dark didn't return it, turning to the computer and searching through it. Quickly finding the security cameras, he scanned each one.

Bingo.

"Found them." He muttered, and felt Anti shift forward. "They're a floor above us. There's about twenty people in between us and them. They're all grouped up- we can't kill them all."

"We need a distraction." Anti looked at the other monitors. "What's going on there?"

Dark looked to where he was pointing. The camera showed what looked like another lab. This one had a big tank.

It was her. Valentine's wife.

"Perfect." Dark breathed, smirking slightly. "He's certainly put alarms all around that room."

"We're gonna release her?" Anti asked, bewildered. "She'll turn if we do, and who knows who else will after?"

"They have Mark and Jack, they've probably already given her a new dose." Dark reasoned. "And if they haven't, we've got the bacteria as well."

Mind made up, they made their way to the room. No alarm went off when they entered, unless it was silent. They crept forward, staring at the limp body floating lifelessly in the tank. Luna looked more zombie than human, hair grey and skin white. The tank was beeping red, a blood bag icon flashing. They hadn't given her a dose.

Dark looking around until he saw a setup of needles and blood bags. Before he could decide that this was a _ very _ bad idea, he set himself up and started the machine to draw blood.

Good thing immune blood was a universal donor.

Half a blood bag later (he wasn't stupid enough to lose enough blood to be dizzy) he moved back over to the tank. "This should be enough to last a few minutes, at least."

Anti shook his head. "You heard the videos, Dark. The cure isn't in our blood."

"Trust me." He had a feeling. Dark set it up, pressing a button and stepping back. The blood left the bag and entered the woman. Dark had a strange feeling about this.

Almost immediately, Luna gasped through the oxygen mask, skin flushing and returning to color. The two looked at each other, bewildered. This hasn't happened before in the videos.

Only a minute had passed before she opened her eyes. Something like recognition sparked in her eyes, bright and sad.

Dark went over to the control and turned the tank off. The tank powered down, and the hatch at the top opened up. Luna took the cue and climbed out, surprisingly strong.

Out of the liquid, she looked around her age. She was nearing her late forties, but even with everything going on she still had a youthful spark in her eyes. Something intelligent swam in them too. "What are you doing here?"

"Um." Anti started. "Do we know you?"

She smiled bitterly. "We've met before- you were only babies, but I'd recognize you anywhere. Valentine wanted you dead, said you were mutated, but I objected. I used to be friends with your mothers." She looked around slowly. "I heard of their fleeing. Where are they now?"

Dark frowned, for some reason sad to say. "Dead." He spoke. "Have been for years. Valentine killed them."

She didn't look surprised, only resigned. "You're so young." She murmured. "What are you doing here?"

"We have little brothers." Anti explained, seeming to have the same urge Dark had, the urge to help this woman. A woman who looked at them with motherly intent. "Your husband kidnapped them."

"Ex-husband." Luna said lightly, a spark of anger in her eyes. "I might still love him, but I cut it off long ago. Either way, I'm guessing you let me out to help you. I will, in any way I can, with one condition."

Dark and Anti shared a glance. "What?"

Luna locked eyes with both of them. "You kill me afterwards."

  
  


The Viper base was quiet when they arrived, sporting the Septic version of assassination gear. Mare had taken the dark blue tight fitting outfit, while Mad went for a black outfit somewhat like the Shadow's gear.

Mad handed Mare the band with energy. "There's only one whiff in there." He warned. "Use it only if it's needed."

Mare frowned, looking at Mad. "Couldn't you use this? It wouldn't hurt, right?"

Mad smiled, something a little wild. He took something out of his pocket. "This would be better."

It was the smaller catalyst. The prototype after the first one.

The one that worked.

"I've been practicing, just a bit." Was all he said.

Mare looked at him, bewildered, before they started moving. Truly, that was a last case scenario, too. Using his powers will always hurt, no matter what he does.

They walked in silence before Mare spoke up. "Something feels weird."

"Yeah." Mad said, looking around. "Feels different. Like something's releasing energy into the air."

"Or someone." Mare suggested. "Maybe Dark and Anti finally got the hang of their powers?"

"They're miles away, Mare." Mad huffed. "No way we could feel them-" his head pinched, forming a headache. Okay, maybe the energy was catalyst related. "Okay maybe."

Mare grinned at him.

They were going to go through a back entrance, but after some not so serious thinking, Mare opened the front door and strolled in like he owned the place.

The hall was mostly empty, and they were dressed terribly suspicious, but no one paid them any mind. Confidence really was key.

They would never tell Dark nor Anti, but both of them really wanted to be noticed. They wanted a bloodbath.

They strolled around the halls, Mad's face unknown and Mare making sure to not look anyone in the eye. Once they finally found an empty room, they practically dived in, locking the door behind them.

"Have you ever been in here before?" Mare asked.

"Besides the basement?" Mad asked. "Never."

"I have no clue where we are."

"Ditto." Mad looked like he was about to do something he would hate himself for later. After a moment, he took out the small catalyst. "Do you know how to use your voice?"

"Somewhat."

"Well, get to learning." He tossed it to him. "We need to get through here without problem." 

Mare was incredulous. "You want me to control someone?"

Mad didn't answer.

For a moment, Mare felt inexplicably angry. Almost growling, he pocketed the catalyst and stormed out of the room, grabbing the first alone Viper and dragging them struggling back to the room.

He pushed him to the floor, foot on his chest. "You like living, right?" He spat, unsurprised at the nodding. "Where does Karlson keep his experiments?"

After getting a scared sputtering of answers, Mare kicked the Viper hard in the head, effectively knocking him out. Afterwards, he glared at Mad. "You're the one who's supposed to stop me from controlling people." He spat out, and Mad didn't hide his flinch or embarrassment.

They continued in a tense silence through the building, down a flight and to a locked office. A few minutes and a broken door later, they had access to a frankly large office room.

"Weird." Mare was the first one to speak up. "This layout is like an apartment."

True, the office had several doors leading to a bathroom, kitchen, and living room, along with two other closed doors.

"Wonder if he lives here." Mad murmured, before a sound caught his ears. Instantly his body tensed, finding the first hiding spot (between the cabinet and the desk in a shadowy corner) and diving in. Mare had no such luck.

The one who made the noise opened the door. She was young, eerily so. Seven at most, the girl was the picture of innocence, with big brown eyes and pouty lips, canvased on a mixed face. Her hair was black and frizzy, framing her face in bushy tight curls. "Sorry," she started, rubbing her eyes, "But daddy's busy at the moment-"

Before Mare could respond or the girl could continue, another woman, undoubtedly her mother, rushed out. The lady shared her features, but was much darker then the little girl, and she had her hair in straightened waves instead of the natural curl the little girl had.

Mad didn't think anything of her until he saw the knife she was holding and the recognition that flashed in her eyes.

He saw some fear, too.

But then she calmed herself and her eyes hardened. "Go back to bed, sweetie." She said calmly, but with an air of force in it. "Lock the door on the way back, I'll knock for you."

The girl, oblivious to the tension, turned and skipped away. Mare held up his hands in a peaceful gesture. "I'm guessing you know who I am, then." He said slowly, eyes flickering around. Looking for an escape.

The woman didn't respond to him, instead pointing to the door. "Leave, immediately."

"Okay." Mare made himself as unintimidating as possible. He didn't want to deal with the wraith of a mother protecting her kid. He feels like he remembers something about a kid that the Vipers watched over. Mad, on the other hand, had clicked pieces together, and didn't know what to do with what he learned. "Weird place, you have here. Wonder who you are."

He twisted as he went to the door, and the woman always kept her back to the door the child had just run through. But now, her back was also to the corner with Mad. Mare was looking pointedly over when he spoke.

Mad realized he wanted Mad's help right before he reached the door frame to the outside base. Scrambling up as fast and as quietly as possible, he only managed one gesture before she had closed the door behind her, putting them both outside of the room and leaving Mad alone.

He sighed, staying there for a few more minutes. He knew Mare would keep her occupied, but he hoped Mare would get his message. He took his hand off of his face, where it had made a crude mimic of a face mask.

A face mask of a queen.

  
  
  


"What?" Anti asked, bewildered. "No!"

"You have to." Luna said. "I might not know everything that's going on, but I'm a scientist too, I've seen your files and I can connect the dots. My last transfusion, it was one of your twos blood." She glanced at both of them. "I haven't felt this well in ages. Someone will notice, and Valentine will be hunting you down even moreso then he already is. I don't need the death of more children on my hands."

Anti snorted. "We're not children."

Luna looked at him then, really looked at him. "You've matured because you've been traumatized. You've been traumatized for your entire life. You are still children, I can see it in the way you look at me."

Neither brought up the fact of what happened to Luna's own child. She didn't need to know, she didn't deserve that.

"If you see it as well-" Dark paused to lick his lips. "Then you can't ask us to do that to you. You're innocent."

"Because of  _ me-" _ she paused, voice hard and vicious. "-So many, so many people,  _ so many children, _ have been  _ killed, _ because I was bitten. And you say I'm  _ innocent?" _ She laughed. "Your brothers are here? Younger? How old are they? They're immune, I'm guessing. Just a few more  _ kids _ to add to my list, huh?"

"Luna-"

"Dying would be much more than I deserve." She cut Anti off. Her eyes went soft. "Please. I can't live like this anymore. It's been years. Decades. This isn't living."

Anti wanted to argue some more, but Dark put a hand to his shoulder, looking at something. "Silent alarm went off." He said. "We have to leave, now."

Luna looked at Anti, surprising him by pulling him in for a hug. "Go save who you came to save." She said. "I'll distract whoever comes in. "You can save me afterwards."

Then they were pushed out of the door.

It took them several minutes to climb the stairs and find the room with Jack and Mark. It had become significantly less guarded in the time it took to get up there. Dark slipped into the room, feeling the walls darken and shadows become more prominent as Anti moved to the group of three watching them.

On cue, Dark took out a taser and hit the security camera, temporarily short circuiting the old device. At the same time Anti attacked, punching one man hard in the temple before elbowing the breath out of another guy and sweeping the last one, in the span of a few seconds.

Their brothers were on them by then.

"I am so sorry!" Jack cried while Mark said "I beat one of them up when they first caught us, but there were too many afterwards!"

"Wait a second!" Jack turned towards him, still holding onto Anti. "No you didn't. You screamed!"

"No I didn't!" Mark yelled. "Don't call me a baby!"

"He screamed." Jack turned back to Anti with a solemn face, nodding lightly. "Like a baby."

"Hey!"

Dark smiled, picking his brother up and heading for the vents, because no doubt they had seen the ruse and were coming back up. He's just happy that neither of them seemed hurt. "Alright, up the vents, we'll be right behind you."

Getting them up was harder than getting themselves up. The two were very talkative, wanting to tell them all about everything, but were quieted after Anti told them off.

It took a good ten silent minutes before they came upon a stairway that Dark felt quiet and safe enough to exit in. Since both boys were in the front, they had to lower them down with one arm before jumping out themselves.

They were hugged again. "We missed you." 

Anti ruffled his brother's hair. "Missed you too, midget." He unslung his drawstring bag and took out two small cloaks, made specifically for them. "Now put this on."

Mark gasped when he saw it. "I'm gonna be a ninja!"

Jack was excited too, even though Dark and Anti were slightly confused with  _ what _ a ninja was. They helped them put it over their regular clothes, before both hefted them up for a piggyback ride. Their brothers weren't small, but they never had problems carrying them. At least now they know why.

They snuck their way back downstairs, having to stop several times to not be seen by others. As they neared closer, they heard something.

"Please, go back inside…"

"No! I've spent years inside that blasted thing! I'm done! Let me die! Let me go!"

Valentine and Luna.

They edged closer, glancing around the door. Valentine was the only one inside, holding a needle full of blue liquid. "We've figured it out, love." He said, full of pain. "This is the cure."

"It's another dead end." She hissed back. "What's in this one? More bacteria that can't survive in my blood? Something only delaying the inevitable?" She clenched her fists. "Please… just let me go."

He looked helpless. "I… I can't." His voice cracked. "I can't lose both of you."

Luna paused, eyes widening. "B-both?" She said shakenly. "Where's Vana? Val,  _ where is Vana?" _

Valentine looked down. "It-" for a second, Dark felt bad. "It was quick."

Right before Luna could completely lose it, Anti stepped into the room. "Enough of this."

Valentine spun around, shocked. His eyes caught Jack's for a second, before going back to Anti. "So you're the one who let her out." He murmured. "You gave her your own blood? She hasn't looked this healthy in years."

"Don't even think about it." Luna snarled, a feral, broken look in her eyes. 

Valentine looked at her like a lost puppy, before closing his eyes, taking a breath and opening them to look at Anti. "Where's your friend? You go nowhere without him."

Dark scrunched his brows, confused before realization dawned. 

He was surrounded by shadows. He was hidden in the dark.

His name never sounded so ironic.

Anti looked around, confused for a second before understanding. "Must've left." He shrugged. "He got what he came for."

Dark made sure to quiet Mark before slowly moving forward.

"And you didn't?" Valentine seemed _ very _ frustrated. He took a step forward. "25 years. 25 years! I've been trying to cure-" Luna wouldn't stop glaring. "And what do I get in return?"

"Pissed off people?" Anti guessed. "What don't you understand, Valentine? You didn't work for a cure, you  _ abused _ a cure. You don't even know how many lives you've affected, do you?" He turned to Luna. "She doesn't know, does she?"

Valentine's eyes turned cold. A silent warning. Luna, on the other hand, stepped forward, curious.

"He turned your daughter into a killer." Anti spat. "He killed our mothers, he had her kill our dads. He's been trying to kill us for  _ years _ now. He's the reason why we formed gangs in the first place." He took a breath, before looking her straight in her horrified eyes. "Since he's been in charge, the Maniacs have enslaved more people than every other Maniac king combined. He even started organ trading." He turned back to Valentine. "Was that also for a cure? Sneaking into family's homes at night and taking them, one by one?"

Valentine looked shocked for a moment, turning to Luna. He held out a hand, but Luna flinched away harshly.

His eyes went cold in anger. Suddenly, he spun around, brandishing his needle in unstable fury. He lunged toward Anti.

Dark stepped out of his shadow, grabbing his arm and pushing it towards Valentine's own chest. "What-"

Dark felt an extreme sense of satisfaction, if only for a second. "Fuck you." The needle sunk in, and Dark pressed down the plunger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now would be a good time to look up a Resident Evil boss and keep it in mind.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said last notes, look up a RE boss and keep it in mind, minus the random eyes. It'll help with the description you're about to get.  
> Think of like one of the tyrants in RE2 Remake. Something like that.  
> Also, I love setting Anti off.

For a moment, nothing happened.

But then his eyes started to dull. "No." He breathed, shocked.

"What- what was in that?" Luna looked horrified, watching as Valentine fell to the floor, skin greying. Dark would say he felt bad, but the man had destroyed their lives- this felt like deserved vengence.

"It was only for infected people. The reaction it would give healthy people-" Valentine coughed, before he could say no more. A gurgling groan emitted from his chest.

Dark and Anti shared a look. Whatever it was, it was making him turn, and they couldn't allow that. Not in such a crowded base in the middle of the city.

Dark took out his emergency gun, clicking off the safety and aiming at his head. The sound seemed to get the Maniac's attention.

He stilled on the ground, noise ceasing. Dark almost lowered his gun. Mark covered his eyes, knowing what would happen next and knowing Dark wouldn't want him to watch. The room was tense.

Then Valentine was off the floor and there was a hand around Dark's throat and Mark was screaming.

When Dark finally had the thought to struggle, it was much too late and his vision already had dark spots. _He couldn't breathe._ How hard was he squeezing?

There was a sharp sound, Valentine grunted, and suddenly he was on the floor, coughing harshly with a hand around his throat. Mark was next to his face, worried beyond all belief.

When Dark could look up without seeing stars, he blinked in confusion. That _wasn't_ human.

Valentine had changed, quickly too. His skin had gone to a greyish green, and his eyes were yellow, not the normal zombie grey, and they still held intelligence. His body hadn't shrivelled, but had seemed to _grow_ muscle. He looked like Frankenstein's monster, if what Mat drew that one time was true.

Valentine's voice came out at a rough grumble. "I should kill you all."

Dark weakly stood up, slouching awkwardly as he grabbed his gun again, heaving and coughing. Blood splattered on the ground due to his hacking. Mark was suddenly too heavy. Anti had both his gun and knife out, the knife slick with blood. He looked _murderous._ "Go near them again." He snarled. _"I dare you."_

Valentine smirked, a tiny little thing, and shifted his weight towards Dark, just to gage his reaction.

It was enough to set Anti off.

The lights flickered, before blinking in and out. Anti was hazing in and out of existance, though Jack had no trouble holding on. A second later, the computer behind him completely short-circuited.

The lights blinked out, and Anti was somewhere else.

With eyes set to kill, he stabbed Valentine straight in the neck, somehow crossing twenty feet in less then a second. Valentine roared, throwing him off hard. The lights flickered, and he was suddenly by Dark, still furious and unharmed. Jack had his hood covering his eyes, and he was holding on tightly to his brother's back.

"Time to go." Anti growled, eyes never leaving Valentine, who was _healing._ "I don't know what that is, and I don't want to."

Dark nodded, throat too crushed for him to want to _try_ to speak. They needed another plan. He looked towards Luna, who shook her head. Her message was clear.

Good thing neither listened.

As if telepathically connected, Anti set off to distracting whatever had become of Valentine as Dark ran towards Luna. He wheezed, hopeing she understood.

"I can't." She said, eyes hurting but warm. "I'm a danger to you."

He waved it away, holding out a hand. Luna looked at Valentine, who roared in anger as Anti _somehow_ managed to dodge. But he was getting slower, and Valentine could tell. With a look that said they'd talk about it later, she took his hand.

He turned and sprinted the way he came.

Seconds later he heard a roar of anger, and Anti yelled in clear pain.

Thinking quickly, he pulled her to the side, forcing the shadows near them to act. He didn't truly understand what he was doing, but the shadows listened, pulling up and around him, Mark and Luna.

Seconds later, with the flicker of lights, Anti was next to them, looking around for him. A gash sat on the side of his face, trailing blood. With his free hand, he pulled him into the shadows, seconds before Valentine ran out of the room. He rushed past them in a blind rage, grabbing a scientist who walked past in a group of a few others, lifting him into the air.

"Valentine!" The grabbed man yelped. "What- what happened?"

"Your… cure." The king grunted. "Fix me!"

"I- I can't-" he didn't get to finish, because Valentine pulled him to his mouth and _bit his head off._

Luna gasped, and Mark squirmed, unable to see but able to hear. The other scientists screamed and backed up as Valentine swallowed. "Fix me!"

They nodded, and the man turned monster rushed past.

After the hallway cleared, Dark released the shadows.

They ran.

  
  
  


The car only held four, so Anti kept his brother in his seat to let Luna have a back seat. Dark got in, checked once for everyone, before starting the car and driving away.

At first, he was quiet about it, slowly and causally leaving the Maniac base to not cause suspicion before he heard Valentine roar again, much closer than before. He checked the rearview and almost lost it.

Right behind them _he was right behind them!_

Dark stomped on the accelerator, heard the car have something close to a heart attack before it shot forward, right before Valentine pounced on them.

"Shit!" Anti looked back at the creature, which was running after them. "Luna, can you hold him?"

Luna nodded easily, taking Jack from Anti, who looked upset before realizing that Luna was comfy as well. Anti, no longer worried for his brother, took off his seatbelt and grabbed his gun, lowering the window and poking his head out.

A piece of wood flew by them. He yelped and stuck his head back in, narrowly dodging. After a moment he went back out, wind whipping hair into his eyes, blinding him.

He sighed, closed his eyes, raised his gun and started shooting.

Most hit their target, but Valentine didn't seem to feel them. Anti wasted a whole round before coming back into the car. "We need something bigger."

Dark racked his brain for an idea, before a thought sprung up. "Check your bag."

Anti frowned, looking through it. "I only brought the cloaks and the gun-" he paused, pulling out a comm. "Who does this go to?"

Dark just grinned. Anti turned on the comm and waited for an answer.

" _Hello?"_ A feminine voice answered, and Anti grinned as well. " _Dark?"_

"Anti." He corrected. "We got a gigantic zombie that used to be Valentine chasing us."

 _"What did you do-"_ she paused. _"I'll ask later. How big is he?"_

"9 feet." Anti answered. "He's doubled in size, at least."

Quiet, then, _"Bring him to the duck pond."_

Dark quickly swerved onto another street, the hard turn making the wheels squeal. Valentine rushed past them, going much too fast for a zombie. He slammed into a car before righting himself and continuing his chase.

They arrived in Boomer territory thirty tense minutes later, and another forty-five minutes of silent driving, only broken by Valentine, who was _still_ following, to get to the duck pond.

Dark took the turn into the park before cursing, jerking the wheel. The car hit the fence hard, causing the airbags to go off. Anti got a face full of white and a definitely broken nose, and from the sound of it Dark didn't stand much better.

"Everyone, out." Dark muttered, voice still completely broken. Anti climbed out, cut and nose burning as he applied pressure to both bleeding wounds. He didn't want Jack to see him, but they needed to get _out of the car._

He helped Luna out first, who immediately went to get Mark, since Dark was being a little too slow. The crash wasn't bad, so no one in the back was hurt.

He had gotten everyone out by the time Dark managed to get out. His door had been crushed slightly, and sharpel must've hit him, judging from the blood leaking through his cloak. He slouched on the ground and coughed sharply, eyes cloudy.

Anti looked closer. Shit, concussion.

"We need to move." Anti could hear Valentine get closer. He moved down to Dark, taking his arm and wrapping it around his neck while holding onto his waist. "Come on!"

They made a break for the duck pond, reaching the sanctuary moments before Valentine. He breached the trees, eyes full of rage and violence. They flashed when Anti caught his eye.

He started rushing forward.

That's when Evelyn left her hiding spot behind a tree, sporting full body armor and holding an empty briefcase in one hand and something big and dangerous in the other.

She flung the case, shouldered the other object, aimed and fired.

There was a bright flash, a loud sound, and Valentine was missing an arm. His scream was inhuman. He sunk to the floor, stilling.

Evelyn lowered the _bazooka_ she just appearently happened to carry around, turning towards them. Her eyes were hard. "What _happened?"_

Valentine was groaning, shifting back and forth and _getting up._ Anti's eyes widened as Evelyn glanced behind her, sighing and turning. She grabbed some ammo out of the briefcase, loaded it, and fired with no hesitation. A sharp crack, and Valentine was missing a leg.

But his arm was growing back.

"This should be impossible." Dark murmured, eyes glassy but still in the present. A cut behind his ear let blood fall down his jaw. He didn't seem to notice.

"You guys look like crap." Evelyn signaled for a few Boomers to start binding Valentine up. They did so with no problem, as if this was their regular job. _"What happened? What is that?"_

"That's-" Now that Anti had to say it out loud, it sounded unbelievable.

"That monstrosity is my ex husband." Luna said it for him. "Valentine Bleu. He turned himself into that... _thing_."

Anti noticed the little lie in that sentence, and felt a bit of gratitude. Luna knew enough about gang policy to know that Dark stabbing Valentine with the needle in the first place could cause some problems, even if it's in self defense. He already had a tick mark from his killing of the old Boomer king, another one could get him killed. And Evelyn followed rules, whether she wanted to or not.

Evelyn's eyes widened, before she took a breath and calmed herself. After a second, she looked at Dark, moving forward to examine him more closely. Anti allowed it, but with the state his friend was in he didn't trust anyone near him.

"Mild concussion." Evelyn finally said. "His lucidity is impressive, due to the other injuries he has." Her hand ghosted over his neck, her voice hard. "What happened here?"

"Guess." Anti muttered, staring at Valentine, who was moving but grounded for the time being. A few men had put fabric over his leg to keep it from healing. "I don't know what was in what he injected himself with, but it turned him into that."

Evelyn went to help Dark lean against a tree, but when Anti didn't move she conceded to let Anti do it.

"He won't stay down long." Anti had missed when Elijah showed up, covered completely but with a tense posture the clothes couldn't mask. "You all need to get out of here."

"He'll follow us back if we don't find something to stop him." Anti replied, nostrils flaring. He wanted his brother far away, but he couldn't in good conscience let Valentine attack anyone else. He was the one who started this, by riling him up.

"Let us figure that out." Elijah murmured, glancing at Dark and the kids. "How much help will you be? You have an injured to look out for. Your brothers."

Anti gritted his teeth, and a feeling started up in his hands, like they were going to sleep. Something of a grin came on his face as his anger made the lights around them flicker. The feeling started to spread. "I can be more helpful than anyone else here."

Evelyn hefted the large rocket launcher, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Really? How?"

The feeling had reached his eyes, his brain urging him to release the power before it overcharged him. He's not sure how it works, it feels as if his body is dissapating and then recombining somewhere else, so he wasn't surprised when he blinked and he was suddenly behind Evelyn. The numbing feeling left, blood rushed back through his body.

"Like that." He spoke, and grinned at the face Evelyn had made and the jump Elijah had, hand on gun.

He was surprised when Evelyn pulled a gun on him. "What are you?" She demanded, eyes light with familiar horror. Had she seen something like him before? "Where's Anti?"

Anti scoffed. "I am Anti, Eve." She relaxed a bit at the familiar name, lowering the gun an inch. "I've been like this since the day I was born." He jabbed a thumb at Valentine. "That was his fault too."

A different kind of horror dawned in her eyes. "You're one of the expirements…" she turned towards Elijah with wide eyes. "The ones that dad wanted to find." She turned to Dark. "Is he..?"

Anti nodded, turning back towards the problem at hand. "We got away from that thing _because_ we're different. A normal person would be dead in seconds. You need me."

Evelyn eventually nodded. "What about Dark?"

"He'll be fine in a couple minutes." Anti said, before pausing. "But we need to get Jack and Mark back. He'll drive them then come back."

Evelyn raised a brow. "You sure you should let him?"

Anti mimicked her look. "Don't doubt him." He said eventually. "Dark!" He called, and Dark looked over with a quickness that someone with a head injury _shouldn't_ have. "Can you take the kids and Luna back to yours? And call Mad and Mare, we'll need them here."

Anti watched as the names and the reasons for them being here clicked in Evelyn's mind and Dark nodded, looking upset but resigned. "I'll be back in a few hours."

"Leave the comm with me." He said, before catching the comm Dark threw at him. He waited as Dark stood up and walked normally away to where Luna was keeping their brothers. 

Evelyn glared in the direction, before sighing. "Call in a car for them." She told Elijah, who nodded and jogged easily away. Once he was gone, Evelyn turned on him. "Elijah doesn't know too much about the experim- you guys." She corrected. "But our father was obsessed with you."

"Was he?" Anti wasn't surprised, per se, but this was interesting. "Why?"

"He said that you guys had something special that could most likely cure the world if cultivated correctly." Her facial features darkened. "He also said that you guys could control objects and minds."

Anti didn't feel particularly comfortable telling her everything. "Not all of us." He answered. "And it has setbacks. Messes with our heads. How much do you know of the bacteria that makes humans immune?"

"Enough to understand why it isn't permanent." Evelyn answered. "What about it?"

"Valentine created a program to make more immunes, since his wife was bitten and was too late in the infection to be cured properly." Anti explained, not glancing over at the retreating forms of the others. "He had our mothers work in the program. They figured out how the bacteria worked, and put it in us. Didn't work correctly, though."

Evelyn tilted her head curiously, which told Anti to keep going. "Our mothers didn't really explain before they died, but we found old notes and videos. The bacteria they injected us with kinda _became_ us, it's not just in our blood, but our bones, our muscles, our lungs, _everywhere._ I don't know how having this bacteria allows me to teleport or lets Dark move shadows and _don't even get me started on Mad and Mare,_ but it does. Maybe there was something else they did that changed us, but we think it was the bacteria."

Evelyn looked baffled. "Valentine let babies become lab rats…" she looked up. "You said your brothers were all very strong immunes, right? Is this the reason?"

Anti nodded. "Yeah. Everything you know about us is because of him." He gestured to the growling zombie. He wished the man hadn't shaped his life like this- hadn't done this to him.

Evelyn placed her hands on her hips. "He was the one who made Dark kill my father?"

Anti blinked, confused. "No-"

"He was the one who made you all create gangs?" Evelyn asked again. "Just because he's your 'creator' doesn't mean he owns you. It doesn't mean you have to be like him. It's just like family. You can't pick who you're related to, but you can pick how you choose to be."

Anti was quiet for a moment. "Thanks Eve-"

A roar stopped him, along with a scream. Valentine had thrown everyone away from him, scrambling up. His leg burst back into existance almost too quickly. He snarled at anyone who came closer.

Anti couldn't tell if Valentine was even human anymore. He was on all four legs now, eyes wide and feral, almost frothing at the lips. Whatever was in that 'cure' had completely taken over. Anti caught his eyes, though, and he saw recollection flash through them. His body started to go numb again, as if sensing danger.

Uh oh.

Valentine sprung forward, and Anti let instincts take a hold. Before he even realized, he had grabbed Evelyn by the waist, pulling her close before letting that numbing feeling take effect. Evelyn yelped as she along with Anti was pulled through whatever vortex Anti goes through when he teleports.

They landed in a tree, and Anti had just enough time to see Valentine smash into the ground where they once were, most definitely trying to kill them. Evelyn sucked in a breath before covering her mouth, staying still and silent.

Anti put his finger over his lips, begging her to stay quiet as the numbing feeling again spread to his limbs. He loses his grip and falls out of the tree, teleporting at the last moment away and towards Valentine.

He doesn't know why his powers just decidingly started to work. It might've been the adrenaline reaction. He's had those before, but this was _after_ he started messing with the catalyst, which might mean something different. He's also _very_ angry, _at everything,_ so that might be causing it as well. His random teleporting might be why only the lights are flickering, and not other electronics. His body is absorbing the power instead of letting it out, which is why he's teleporting and _not_ causing a blackout.

"Over here, buddy!" He yelled, taking Valentine's darting eyes away from everyone else. He didn't want other people to be hurt because of his problem, especially not Evelyn.

Or Elijah, for that matter.

Anti pulled out his gun as Valentine lunged, hitting him twice between the eyes before the lights flickered and his body told him it was time to go. Reappearing by the tree Evelyn had met them under, he grinned as his toe hit the rocket launcher.

"I dunno how to use this." Anti grinned, hefting it up. "Let's find out!"

He clumsily loaded it, turning towards Valentine and firing it into the biggest target he had.

His face.

Valentine fell in a crippled heap, and Anti shot him once more just to be sure, and twice more because it was fun.

He laid the launcher down, looking at his handy work. Valentine wasn't moving. "Beautiful." 

He scanned the monster in front of him. His veins had bugdled out of his body, giving him a bit of a blue look. His eyes had expanded past reason and his entire body had gone pasty white, grey streaking across.

"Anti!"

Anti looked up at Evelyn, who screamed his name. She was frantic, pointing at the downed monster. Anti looked back, confused. Valentine was still down-

A big hand grabbed him around his torso, crushing him with it's grip. Anti gasped in surprise, he hadn't seen Valentine move at all. The man in question was grinning now, staring at him in glee. He squeezed, and Anti's body went _crazy,_ going completely numb before… stopping, leaving him there.

Really? When it would be _most_ helpful it decides to dip? Seriously?

Anti shouted in his struggling. "I… I can't- _agh-"_ Valentine increased pressure, bringing bruising ribs close to the crushing point. Anti froze for a second before harshly coughing up blood, most landing on Valentine's face.

The monster scowled. "An...ti." It growled, and Anti's surprise overshot his pain. "Sub...ject… 2"

Anti would say something if he had the breath to.

"Not… use...ful." Valentine continued. "... _die._ "

At that moment, he roared in pain and Anti was dropped hard onto the ground. Elijah caught him before he smacked his head open. Anti sucked in air, most of it going straight down the wrong pipe and he turned the other way in the grass to vomit blood.

"Anti-" Elijah's voice modifier had been damaged, and it made his voice pitch uncomfortably, but for some reason it made Anti's pain laced brain calm. "We _need_ to move!"

He practically picked the other up, trying to be careful but more rushed than anything else. At the end, he had to throw the other man out of the way as he rolled out from under a gigantic fist trying to squish them both.

Anti's brain came back online, and with a bit of trouble he scrambled to his feet. His ribs, thankfully, hadn't been broken, which hopefully meant his internal organs were safe as well. Thank God, broken ribs hurt like a bitch-

A loud roar caught his attention. Elijah, and his abundance of knives (Anti liked this guy) had somehow stabbed Valentine in the eye. As he watched, Elijah took out another throwing knife and threw it with deadly accuracy into his other eye, bursting it.

So _that's_ why he's the queen. Good to know.

Valentine yelled and clawed at his eyes, and Elijah took the moment to throw another knife into his throat.

The reaction wasn't expected.

Valentine seemed to have figured out where the knives were coming from, and he sprang forward, right at Elijah. For a second, he froze.

And then he was pushed out of the way.

Anti heard a scream before he saw red.

Evelyn had left her tree, ran all the way over to help out. She had pushed her twin out of the way.

And now her arm was shoulder deep in the mouth of a monster.

Anti's body took that as a que, numbing up so quickly it _hurt_ before flashing him right next to her. He barely had time to grab her before he was suddenly somewhere else.

Evelyn's arm was mangled. Her hand and lower arm were fine and intact, but her bicep had been crushed and bit through. Evelyn, though, was smiling. "Son of a bitch."

Anti didn't have time to ask, as Valentine paused to look at them before exploding into several big pieces. He swung back around, voice hoarse. "A grenade?" He asked. "You made him swallow a grenade?"

Evelyn smirked, before her eyes rolled up and she fell unconsious.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The real queen behind the mask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forget everything that happened last chapter, cause this has nothing to do with it! Enjoy some Mad and Mare time!

It was quite for two more minutes before Mad left his hideout.

He stayed away from the door that the little girl,  _ the Viper queen's daughter, _ had dissappeared into, instead checking the other closed one.

For a second he felt apprehensive. What if that wasn't the queen? Maybe he made a mistake. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. While the Shadows and Septics used the family safety rule to it's fullest, it was actually the Vipers who reinstated it in the first place, a few years before they were actually gangs. And while family was always kept hidden, everyone under the safety law had to be registered under that law. Mad made sure to keep up with it, because as long as the paper was given to the Boomers, it was final, and no one bothered to tell anyone else when it was updated. He knows everyone on the list from other gangs- Evelyn has her mother and aunt listed, Valentine has his wife listed, and the Vipers-

The Vipers had two children listed, that girl and a younger boy. They had to be related to the king or queen. Unless they kept other family here, then that woman  _ had _ to be the queen.

Pushing it out of his head, he moved to the last closed door, quietly opening it.

There was a short hallway, the door on the other side wide open. He could see Karlson.

Mad walked into the room quietly, watching Karlson mess with papers and contraptions on his desk. "You've gone to far." He said softly.

Karlson stopped, turning around slowly. While he didn't startle, Mad knew he had surprised him. "They sent you to deal with me?" He asked, quirking a brow. "Strange."

"They didn't ask." Mad took a step forward, the gun he carried getting hotter the more he thought about it. "I volunteered."

Karlson tisked. "Then that was foolish of you. Your inner turmoil won't go away just by facing me." He continued on with whatever he was doing. "In fact, it might only make it worse."

"This isn't about just you and me." Mad couldn't ignore his words, but he moved passed them for now. "You're threatening my family." 

"Do you understand the opportunity we have in front of us?" Karlson wourled around, eyes bright with possabilities. "We've figured out how to cure the world! How to make everyone stronger! We can't give that up. You know, don't you? You found your late mother's work and you can recreate it, can't you?"

It felt like a trick question, and while Mad was tired if being afraid of the guy another part of him loved showing off. "I do." He conceded. "But that doesn't matter- because you will never know."

Karlson frowned at him, as if disappointed. "Oh well." He sighed. "I tried to make it easy for you. We could've worked together."

Mad frowned as well, not liking the turn of the conversation. He opened his mouth before closing it as agony ran through his head. He fell to his knees immediately, clutching his head as the migraine numbed the world around him. He felt paralyzed.

It stopped suddenly, and he took a few deep, gasping breaths, looking around. The room had been messed up, papers and objects littering the floor. Karlson looked at the carnage with a glint in his eye, holding the container to the catalyst in his hands. "Interesting. I wonder why it is this way."

His heart was beating to fast, and while the headache was gone, his head still had a phantom pounding to it. He heaved, hands going to the floor to try and get back up. 

It didn't work, as Karlson opened up the catalyst again and his vision went white for a moment before coming back, much to bright and vivid. He saw things go brighter before falling off tables, and he made a mental note of that as he rested his forehead on the ground in front of him, just begging for it to  _ stop. _

Karlson closed it again, and again he made a ragged gasping breath. He couldn't breathe correctly while it was open- that catalyst would kill him before long, if it doesn't turn his brain to mush first.  _ "...Stop." _

"I wonder how you're dealing with your new tattoo." He changed the topic. "A queen with the wrong tattoo. The stares you must get."

"They don't care." Mad struggled to get out. He wasn't expecting the laugh he got back.

"You really are naive." He said. "I didn't do it for them. I did it for  _ you. You care, _ don't you?"

Mad didn't answer, but something hard and raw got stuck in the back of his throat. He's sure it's anger.

"You'll understand eventually." Karlson continued. "But for now, we need that head intact. I have plans for it. Luna is a great girl, but Valentine is looking at the small picture. He's just like a Maniac, only thinks about himself..."

As his head cleared, a plan formed. He can't directly attack him with the catalyst at his disposal. But maybe that's what he needs.

Karlson was still talking, something about taking him somewhere. "I'm staying right here."

Karlson frowned. "I didn't want to do this to you again, but you're being stubborn."

He opened the catalyst again, but this time, Mad stood his ground.

Surprisingly, actually controlling what he did numbed the pain, or, at least made a wall between his conciousness and it. He made a show of standing up, taking Karlson's attention off of what he was actually doing behind him.

Karlson had a gun too.

Karlson hummed. "Impressive, but useless." He kept the container open, completely oblivious. His gun was now floating in the air, slowly turning towards him.

Mad didn't know if he could concentrate enough and talk, but he had to try. "I get… what you're… trying to do." He muttered. "But… I won't help… you."

The gun was now pointed at him. Karlson hadn't noticed. "This little show of strength does nothing." Karlson was starting to get upset. "It changes nothing."

"No." Mad agreed. "This… does."

The safety of the gun clicked off, and Karlson snapped towards the sound just in time to see it go off.

It hit him in the shoulder, throwing him off balance. Mad could've killed him, but just like Karlson, Mad had a use for his brain as well.

The catalyst was still open. The gun's safety clicked back on and fell to the floor as he focused on the container. It slammed shut, hard, because Mad had no finesse, before Mad himself dropped to a knee again, breathing heavily. He only gave himself a few seconds before he staggered over to Karlson's gun, picking it up to keep it out of his reach. "I dunno." He started. "Facing you was very therapeutic."

  
  
  


Mare wished he brought other weapons. Instead, he had to be forced around at knifepoint through a unknown mansion. He would've already fought his way out but  _ apperently _ this was the fucking  _ Viper queen _ so that was waaay  _ out of the fucking question. _ Mare's not about to fight a queen armed with a knife weaponless. He's not that crazy.

He was confused, though, when the woman heard other Vipers coming and pulled him into an anclove to hide them both before taking them out when the Vipers passed. When he went to ask, the knife dug harshly into his back and he kept silent.

After a few more minutes of walking, they finally came to the door she apperently wanted, opening it up and slamming it shut. The room was dark, with a single flickering lightbulb and a long table, chairs at each end. Looked like an interrogation room.

Mare took the cue and sat down in one of the chairs, watching the queen air down in the other. Her face was hard, but Mare could see some fear in her eyes. Was she scared that Mare would go hurt her daughter? Or did she realize that he hadn't done anything wrong yet and by harming him she would be introuble with the gang laws?

"Why are you here?" She started.

"Karlson took some stuff that belonged to our mothers." He said simply, crossing his arms. "We want it back."

The woman looked at him, head tilted and curious. She was obviously much older, 30 or 20 years his senior, and while Mare didn't know how much she knew about the experiments, he could guess she knew enough.

"You know who I am?" She asked after a moment of silence.

He nodded. "I don't know your name, though, if you care to enlighten me."

Mare doesn't know what was running through her head at the moment, but whatever it was had her say. "Geina." 

He nodded, leaning back in his chair. The tension in the room was more than palpable, it felt suffocating. Geina was twirling the knife in her hand, and Mare didn't even think she noticed that she was. "You have children." Mare blurted out, and Geina caught the knife, looking at him. "Why are you doing all of this?"

She looked away, the knife moving again. "I don't really fancy being the queen, if I'm honest." She confessed. "Especially not on this side. I do whatever Karlson wants me to do."

"Because you love him." Mare said, half wondering and half knowing, from what he remembers Mad saying. "And he's the father of your child."

That's where she laughed. "Karlson is not the father of Lizzy or Gene." Did she have two kids? "He did, though, take us in once he knew about my skills. Even if I do love the man, my first priority will always be my children. But-" the knife paused in it's dance, and she looked back at him. "What about you? Why did you start a gang?"

Mare leaned back again, shrugging. "We didn't want any more civilians getting hurt because of the Vipers or the Boomers or the Maniacs. We didn't want anymore kids coming home to corpses."

Her eyes flashed with sympathy. Or maybe it was pity. "How old were you?"

"Eighteen." He replied. "We were about to move out. I was going to go to Valiant with my friends- they had colleges, unlike Haven." They were going to leave the next day, but their brothers were sad of them going so they pushed it back a day so that they could have one last whole day with them before leaving. He snorted, bitter. "Guess life doesn't give a fuck."

Geina grimaced, and Mare could tell what was going through her mind. His story but it happening to her children. He felt bad- he wondered how it would be from the mother's perspective. "We won't be here much longer." She announced.

He wasn't expecting that. "What?"

"This place isn't where I want my children growing up." She said softly. "I have family in Purity- we're leaving soon."

Mare didn't know what to say. He's not surprised that they're spilling their own secrets to each other- they both understand each other in ways only other queens could. But Purity? Purity was just as dangerous a city as Haven, if not more. "Purity? That's…"

"Trust me." Geina said with a smile. "Don't doubt it until you've been. It's the safest city I've ever been in."

Mare would have to trust her on this. It was silent for a moment, before he brought up something that had been on his mind. "Why did you guys kidnap that Shadow operative?"

His wording didn't convey what he actually wanted to know, but Geina still seemed to understand. "I wasn't a part of that, really. Honestly, I didn't learn about it until Karlson asked me to grab a truth serum for a prisoner. When I actually saw who it was and I saw the tattoo I started making plans to leave immediately afterwards. I'm not letting me or my children get caught up in his nonsense. They saw him hanging around you, and since they knew he was Shadow and that you were the queen, they put two and two together."

So… it was his fault. Damnit.

He looked back at her. The tension in the room had disappeared. "So, I'm guessing you're going to let me get out of here, right?"

Geina smiled. "What can I do to stop you?" She said. "By tomorrow, I won't be a queen anymore."


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, did you know that if you use your powers correctly, they work better? Look at Mare for example, he understands!

Anti's had some terrifying moments in his life.

This… This is one of the most.

Evelyn was unconscious, and her hair was paling and her skin was going grey much too quickly. It had been barely a minute, and the infection had already gotten too far.

Anti's body went numb. Way too numb. Numb to the point that his eyelids closed and he lost vision.

Suddenly he was elsewhere. It took him a moment to realize where that elsewhere was. He had teleported himself back to Valentine's lab.

Understanding why, he picked up some blood transfusion materials as his body went completely numb again. By the time he was back, he was weak on his feet and his eyesight was blurry.

"Anti-" Elijah tried to catch him, still holding Evelyn, but Anti rightened himself and started messing with the needles.

"No time!" He barked out, stabbing an artery and watching as blood filled the bag. In the few seconds he was gone Evelyn's hand had grown back, a mass of greyish bulging flesh. A low growl was working up her throat. Elijah's mask didn't hide his fear.

After the bag was filled, he disconnected it and gave it to Elijah, before immediately going to work filling up another bag. 

It took a few moments to take affect. Evelyn's arm was the first to change back, losing the color before the bulging skin died down. Then her hair gained it's shiny darker color and her skin went back to a normal flushed color. By the time she opened her eyes, she had been given three blood bags. "Brains…" she groaned.

For a second Anti was worried, but then Elijah slapped her softly on the head. "That's  _ not _ funny."

"I almost died." She said, grinning weakly. "I'm allowed to laugh." She looked at the empty blood bags. "Who's blood is this?"

"Mine." Anti said, before the teleporting and loss of blood got to him and he collapsed.

And that wasn't even the worst of it, before the steaming mass of flesh that used to be Valentine started twitching. Anti would be more worried if he had enough energy to be worried.

It took Valentine a while to come back that time, and that allowed the Boomers to keep shooting him back down. But they would run out of ammo before Valentine ran out of will. Anti felt the heat of the rising sun as he tried and failed for the 17th time to get up. His body was numb in the way that it got when he teleported, but while his body felt danger his brain felt like mush and they were wrestling inside him for control. He had teleported halfway across Haven and then back, and then given three bags of blood. He didn't know when he'd be able to move again.

Once Elijah had gotten Evelyn out of the way he came back for Anti, pulling him up and away from the growling mass of flesh, before joining the rest of his gang in keeping the zombie down.

  
  
  


It stayed like that for 2 bitter hours, Valentine regrowing and the Boomers doing everything in their power to keep him down. By the end of that time Anti could walk again.

But so could Valentine.

There was a roar as Anti was getting back up, and several men flew through the air, hitting the ground and rolling. Valentine staggered up, holding onto one Boomer and snapping his head off with his jaws.

Anti dove for the closest rocket launcher, firing it straight at his chest. The beast fell, if only for a moment.

"We can't do this for much longer." Elijah murmured.

Valentine started to heal again, and Anti felt a pang of hopelessness. He might be special, but he can't heal like that- the pain in his ribs proves it. He doesn't know how long they can hold him before he's loose in the city.

Valentine ran for him, and his body was the only thing that protected him this time. The numbing feeling had gone, and the only thing he could do was raise an arm to block the claws coming at him.

Pain seared through his arm, and that seemed to jumpstart his body, a numbing taking hold like a shock and moving him away, out of Valentine's grasp. His arm was torn, three bloody claw marks and one that didn't quite pierce through. The edges were grey, but fine otherwise.

The loss of blood made him groan and stagger on re-entry, and the sudden movement jarred his ribs. He was  _ definitely _ out, which left the Boomers still here and Elijah. Maybe Evelyn, if she could.

They were going to lose.

Then, a slick black car barreled into the park and hit Valentine in the side, knocking him over.

It was quiet for a second before the car opened, on top of the king-turned-zombie. Mare grinned at his destruction. "Told you I could hit him!"

Dark jumped out of the car with an easy smile, eyes glassy. "I stand corrected."

Mad followed suit, poking at the still healing Valentine. "Ugh, what did you do to yourself?"

Valentine, apperently feeling the poking, groaned, throwing the car off of him. The three had to jump out of the way, Mad and Mare landing on the far side as Dark landed closer to Anti. His friend's eyes widened at the look of him. "Anti-"

"I'll be fine." He said through gritted teeth, watching as Valentine looked around. His eyes found them first.

"Hey!"

The monstrosity spun around. Mad and Mare stood almost side by side, glaring the monster down.

Mad had a catalyst in his hands.

  
  
  


Valentine turned towards him and Mad. Mare glanced at his best friend. "You should move."

Mad looked at him carefully, unbelieving. "You know what you're doing?" He asked.

"I've done it before." Mare replied, and at that moment Valentine seemed to actually see who was standing there. His eyes narrowed. Mad, on the other hand, still seemed sceptical, in the way that anyone would be sceptical if their friend was about to jump in front of a hulking monster.

Valentine dug in his legs and shot forward.

Mare had only a second to regret his decision before movement next to him made him look over. The glance let him see only one thing.

The catalyst.

Then, in slow motion, Valentine slowed down, lifting into the air, and next to him Mad was  _ on his knees _ . His face though, his face only showed determination, even with the pained features and the watery eyes. He was  _ lifting _ him.

Mare looked at the beast that had stopped only two or so feet away from them. He took a glance at Anti, who had an arm around his waist, and Dark, who had a dark bruise lining his neck. He looked at Mad, who had his arms up in the air to hold Valentine up.

His sleeved had fallen down, revealing the brand.

And the tattoo.

Mare realized, at that moment, that everything that had  _ ever _ happened in his life had been because of the monstrosity in front of him, even more so than his parents. He was the reason for his birth, his parents death, his making and joining of a gang. He was the reason why all of his friends were hurt.

_ He _ was the reason why he had powers. Why his powers made him hungry for more. He craved what he didn't have and did not deserve. 

He was the cause of all of his problems.

But then, he had also done some great things, hadn't he? He wouldn't be born otherwise, at least, not the same. He wouldn't of become friends with Felix or Brad, Jason or Bob, Dark or Anti. Mad. There wouldn't be two gangs in Haven with the purpose of protection instead of harm without him.

His brother never would've been born without him.

In something bad, there will always be good. Something corrupt can be saved. Something pure can stay out of corruption.

Blood was dripping out of Mad's ears and nose, falling from his eyes like tears. He had to do something,  _ now. _

Mare looked at the zombie in front of him. His body and eyes showed rage, but Mare can see more than just surface level emotions, being so close to a functional catalyst. 

He was in pain, too. He wanted it to be over, too.

That's what made him walk forward.  **_"Stop struggling."_ **

Unlike the other times his voice had changed, this one sounded nicer. Before, his voice would go a bit deep and raspy, smooth and silky but omninous and sinister. This time, his voice came out slow and light, thick and warm like honey. The kind of voice that everyone wanted to listen to. The tone itself was controlling.

Valentine looked at him and stilled. After a gesture, Mad dropped him. Valentine didn't move, didn't look away from Mare as Elijah helped Mad up and away. Yellow eyes stared at him. The anger was gone, leaving only pain behind.

**_"You're tired."_ ** Mare said simply, not expecting a response. He could go by this in many, painful ways, but for once he didn't want revenge. He just wanted it to be over.  **_"Rest."_ **

Valentine stared. A few seconds passed before he blinked, sitting down. His body convulsed for a moment, before he fell onto his side, still. The body started melting, decaying into the ground beneath it.

Mare stared at the corpse for a few more moments, sighing before turning around and dropping down to pick up the catalyst. Mad must've dropped it, either during the pain or so that Mare could continue using the effects. Mare guessed the latter with a smile.

He turned and made his way over to the man in question. He was smiling, as if he understood the significance of what he did, too. He now held an ice pack. "Am I allowed to say that I'm proud-"

He was cut off as Mare reached him and fell into an awaiting hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next is technically the epilogue- we're almost done here!


	27. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sippin' margaritas on a yacht.

The sun casts a brilliant hue across the sky, warm colors stretching out like baby birds looking for food. The firey orange-red of the sun basked everything in a brilliant glow. It reflected off the dark deep blue of the ocean as the day went on.

“I got ‘em on the head! Ten points for me!”

Mark frowned as he lost his lead from Jack, who now had 57 to his 54. Settling on sabotage, he tried to tickle the other child’s side. As that evolved into an all out war, Mat and Nate climbed back from their slow start, respectively going up from 43 to 61 and 46 to 63, unnoticed by the other boys.

“Heh.” Anti grinned as he watched them. “You guys haven’t seen anything yet. Pass me a rock.”

Mat tossed over the pebble he was about to use, and Anti caught the admittedly small rock, tossing it up and testing its weight before looking out into the watery world below. “20 points, right there. Through his eye.”

“No way!” Nate exclaimed, causing the other two children to finally stop attacking each other with giggles and tickles.

Anti didn’t respond, tossing the pebble a bit more and looking at how the light reflected off the water before throwing it under. The pebble barely lost any force as it entered the water, hitting the target zombie right in it’s eye socket, essentially giving it a new eye. The zombie, obviously surprised (and dead-) kinda just… floated into the seabed, facial expression similar to a baby who just fell on it’s butt.

“Twenty points for me!”

“I wanna learn how to do that!” Jack yelled, crawling over the other kids to jump on his brother. “Teach me!”

“Teach us!” Mark added on with a shout, and they both started shaking the king.

“Yeah! I wanna learn how to throw stuff like that!”

“And fight!”

“And shoot!”

Anti paused, not knowing exactly who said the last comment. “Woah, okay, slow down, midgets. We didn’t learn how to fight until we were 14, and we didn’t start shooting until we were 16. You need to grow up a bit before we do any of that.”

The kids pouted, but it was Mat who tried to logically debut him. “But we need to know how to protect ourselves.” He protested. “And besides, teachers at school said that kids as young as 4 started learning how to shoot, ever since Judgement day.”

Anti knew they should've kept them homeschooled. “Yes, But that’s why we have Haven. Haven was made so that kids have to wait until they are at least 16 to handle a gun. We have other people that protect us from Judgement Day and it’s virus.” He really shouldn’t be the one explaining this. The other three were, like, ten feet away, probably watching him and laughing.

“But what about those inside the wall?” Jack asked slowly, hands balling into fists, angry but scared.

“That, you don’t have to worry about.” Anti smiled softly. “Your brother will gladly gut someone like a fish before I’d let anything happen to you. And that goes for all of us. Besides, there’s a lot less to be worried about, nowadays.”

It was true. While the Vipers were still around, they were under new management, and the new king and queen were much too inexperienced and shy to cause trouble at the moment. The old queen had packed bags and left with her children, from what Mare said, and Karlson was in a cell in the Shadow's basement. The Maniacs, on the other hand, were completely gone. Their territory had been taken by the Boomers, and now there was a wide neutral circle in the middle of Haven, which can be taken by anyone. Many thought that there would be tension- aftermath of a war, new open territory, the destruction of one of the oldest gangs -but everything was quiet. Everything was nice. It was all working out, surprisingly. Even for Luna and Evelyn- the latter hadn't had any relapses since she had the blood transfusion and Luna was slowly but surely coming back. Her infection had spread too much for normal immune blood to fix, but their blood had bacteria that  _ liked _ to go into bones and muscles and organs, and it chased the infection no matter where it went. Right now, the widow was staying with Rival Marie, helping her with her new apprentice.

Anti got up, leaving the four small boys to go back to pelting the underwater zombies. He almost fell when the yacht tipped, but made it back to his seat, easily accepting his drink back from Mare. Haven was only a thirty or so minute ride in the boat back. Far enough for privacy, close enough for the occasional Shadow or Boomer boat to pass. They had deemed it completely safe to take the children back for good a while ago, and after many thanks to Dan and Phil and a promise to the boys to visit, they were back. This was just the first time they could actually get out and relax, with school just now starting up. “They’re getting good at it.”

Dark hummed, his own drink mostly gone. “Indeed.” He agreed. “Reminds me of our field trip to the wall.”

Mad scrunched his nose. He was in a short sleeved shirt, which showed off his burn. It had completely healed and faded, now only a pale brown against his tattoo. “Where we got in trouble for pelting zombies?”

Mare whistled, impressed. “I’m honestly just surprised that you remembered that.”

It was quiet for a few minutes. The older brothers may have been 11 when they visited the wall, but the younger ones were splitting images of their older siblings, so it was easier to imagine it. Before any of this had happened. When their mothers would cycle through who would host the four of them after school everyday at their homes, and how their dads taught them to ride bikes and how Mad decided it'd be a good idea to start  _ gymnastics. _ Before their brothers were born.

They missed it. They missed it so very much. But they’d never wanted it back.

The sun casts long shadows. A child exclaimed, “look! I got him to eat it!” The older men proposed a toast and finished their drinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've all enjoyed, but we're not done yet! There's one last bonus chapter coming up next week. Then, we might start a new story....


	28. Bonus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lab notes and stories that didn't happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There were a few extra tibits of conversation and ideas I had that I started writing down but decided against, so they didn't make it in the story. Either that, or I just couldn't find the right place to put it in. I still thought that they were interesting enough to put at the end, so enjoy.

{Old notes found in the clutter of papers that fill up Mad's desk. He really should get to cleaning that up at some point…}

 **_Dark-_ ** _The immunized bacteria in Dark is spread out pretty evenly. It seems that Dark isn't actually controlling light, but instead manipulating how others see the world. If in close contact with Dark, the bacteria in and around him will cling onto a subject and enter their brain, specifically their occipital lobe. The bacteria, still connected to Dark, will then send signals that tells the brain of the subject that the lights are dimming or that shadows are creeping closer. Instead of control over light, he has manipulative control over the eyes._

_His body is volatile, though not as much as Anti. While his bacteria will sometimes shift and jump about, it's not enough to cause him to completely disappear and reappear, but it looks like he's phasing in and out of what looks like reality. The bacteria in the subject's body makes it so that they won't see him phasing, instead they'll just see a contortion of light._

_The catalyst won't have much effect on him, but he will have better control over what he can manipulate the subject into seeing, though it's likely it will only ever be light and shadow._

**_Anti-_ ** _Anti's immunized bacteria is the most spread out bacteria of all of them, not concentrated in any given place except for his heart, where the bacteria seems to buzz every time it emits an electrical current. This might explain why his powers focus on electricity. With a catalyst, we predict that he could be able to cause massive blackouts around Haven._

_His body is also the most volatile, most likely from the fact that his bacteria is intune to his heart's electrical signal. The bacteria uses the energy from the signal to jump about quickly, and if done at the same time, can cause Anti's entire body to shift with it. To the naked eye, it would look like he teleported. While without a catalyst, he wouldn't be able to control it, but with a catalyst, he should have complete control and better range._

**_Mare-_ ** _The bacteria living in Mare has bunched up more then Anti's or Dark's, preferring areas around his esophagus for some strange reason, as well as his vocal cords and the frontal cortex of his brain. While there should be no reason possible for the bacteria to give him body controlling powers, it could be that speaking or being in his general vicinity causes the subject to be exposed to bacteria that would still be connected to Mare, and when it connects to the subject it binds the will of the subject to the bacteria (kind of like the infection the bacteria loves to eat), and thus to Mare. With a catalyst, he has complete body control over a person._

_Without the catalyst is the strange part. It makes sense that he wouldn't be strong enough to control someone fully without the catalyst to strengthen him, but the bacteria is still completely under his will with or without. It seems to be that the bacteria, instead of connecting to the motor cortex of the brain to move the subject, it connects to the temporal lobe, more specifically the limbic system, which controls emotions like attraction and love, and controls them there. How a primative bacteria that only eats infection knows how to do that is a mystery. Maybe due to the fact that the bacteria was introduced to them so young made the bacteria mutate into something more intelligent, more human._

**_Mad-_ ** _Mad's bacteria is spread out very thinly around his body, with the bulk of it -over 60%- in and around his brain, connected to the dendrites and axons at the end of his neurons. A clump of bacteria live in his cerebellum, which would visualize the movement of objects that would be needed for his telekinesis. This bacteria starts the process, which chain reacts to the other bacteria in his brain as the neuron fires. While all humans, with enough brain and willpower, might be able to move things using only their mind, the things they move would be small and useless. The bacteria, though, when sent the appropriate signal, sends an exact one back. As each bacteria sends a signal back, the signal strengthens, until billions of bacteria have sent billions of signals. These signals turn into one giant signal, which is then strong enough to completely control and move an object._

_The problem is that neurons aren't made to hold such a big signal, nor is it made to have bacteria use them for such. This is what most likely causes his headaches. The prototype catalyst would damage them even farther, due to the fact that the prototype catalyst is strengthening the bacteria, unlike the finished catalyst, which is syphoning the bacteria's power through it and amplifying it that way._

_There is no prediction onto what the catalyst will do to his powers._

  
  
  
  


**{Story parts that are not technically part of the actual story but I thought deserved to be known}**

(Plot idea: What if one of the children had a vision of the past that showed their YouTube selves and the scariness of their egos?)

Mark was looking at him with the most horrified expression he’s ever seen, eyes wide and surprised and very confused. “Da-Da-Dark?” He whispered, backing up to the wall. His voice… wasn’t normal.

Dark looked at his friends, who were all as confused as he was. Taking a cautious step forward, he spoke in his most soothing manner. “Mark, what’s wrong?”

But Mark just scrambled backwards. “You're- you're not real! You- you can’t be.” He was close to screaming. “I made you up!”

“Mark.” Dark’s voice grew a tone of sternness, since it’s worked on Mark before. “Calm down. What are you-“

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Mark was yelling now. “You're not real you can’t be weird go away it has to be my imagination what did I _do?!”_

“Okay, woah!” Anti moved forward then, crouching by the boy. “What’s going on with ye?” He asked, accent peaking.

Mark’s eyes widen. “Jack!” He said, relieved, and now Dark was even more confused. “Wait, why are you so big- and I didn’t know you were visiting-“

“Wait a second, there.” Anti places a hand on Mark’s shoulder. “We need you to calm down, Mark. I’m not Jack-“

Mark had ran into the corner once he spoke those words, now even more terrified. “N-no! Anti can’t, he can’t… no!” He was crying now. “What did you two do?!” From his view, he could see Mare from where he stood, flabbergasted. “Nate! Don’t trust them- they aren’t, they aren’t us!”

Mare opened his mouth, probably to say around the same stuff that Anti did, when Mad stopped him. “Dark isn’t real, though.” He said, still plenty confused but trying to work it out. “Mark made him up, right?”

“Yeah!” Mark said, relieved that someone seemed to get it. “And I’m Mark!”

“No you're not.” Mad said, and where was he going with this? “That’s Mark.” He pointed at Dark.

“No!” Mark looked absolutely terrified for a moment. “No, Mat, that’s Dark! He’s, he’s littlefied me or something! I'm Mark!” He wiped tears from his eyes. “You gotta believe me!”

It was obvious to them now that Mark had his head stuck in the past, but this was different, this time around. He was talking as if he actually lived in the past, like he had a life different from his own. Mad took a long step forward. “How old are you, Mark?”

“I’m 30.” Mark said, eyes wide and scared and definitely not thirty. “I’m old.”

“Are you 30?” Mad asked, as if he truly didn’t know. “Because last time you told me, in Dark’s office, you were 8.”

“What?” Mark asked, confused. “How could I have told you in Dark’s office that I’m 8 if I’m-“ the boy paused, narrowing his eyes for a moment before widening them and blinking. His face went slack before relaxing, taking an easygoing look.

“...Mark?” Dark asked slowly. “How are you feeling?”

“Good.” Mark said with a yawn. “Tired.” He corrected himself, before he jumped up onto the couch, making grabby hands like a four year old at Dark. “I wanna go home and sleep.”

It was clear to see that everyone was confused by the strange outburst that had just occurred, but no one had any answers. He gave a gracious nod to Mad, for fixing whatever had happened, before picking his brother up. He was getting too old for this, but after what just happened, after the look in his eyes, Dark didn’t care.

  
  
  
  


_(Plot idea: Another assassination attempt, this time against Dark.)_

It was one gun shot. Loud and clear as day.

One shot, and suddenly, Dark was falling.

Mare didn’t realize what he was doing before it was done. His hand had already brought the gun out, his eyes had already found the shooter, his finger had already pulled the trigger.

There were three more. It made him take a little bit longer.

Eight seconds later and he had dispatched any and all threats, eyes darting about. Four men to take out a King and two Queens? No one was that stupid.

Mad had dropped to the ground besides Dark, jacket already off and pressed into the bullet wound on his neck. “You-“ Mad hissed, swallowing like he could barely speak. “You lucky son of a bitch.”

Mare went to Dark’s other side, taking over Mad’s job of pressing the jacket to the wound. The people around them had ran once the bullets rung out. “Tell me something good, Mad.”

“It’s only a graze, thank god.” Mad whispered, going into Dark’s jacket to grab his car keys. “I’m bringing the car over. Keep him awake and keep that pressed on.”

He was gone before Mare even realized. Subconsciously, he pressed harder, and Dark groaned. In the span of less than a minute, everything had toppled over. “What-“

“You probably shouldn’t be talking right now.” Mare interrupted, helping the man sit up. He didn’t know much about anything medical, but he was guessing that the adrenaline was why Dark was even coherent. “Mad’s getting a car, but the bullet only grazed you.”

“I can see that.” Dark grumbled, getting up as if he wasn’t hurt. He put his hand over the jacket, as if to take over, but Mare didn’t trust him enough for that at the moment. “Only grazed me. Grazed my fuckin’ neck!”

He was acting… strange. Granted, he had just been shot so Mare guessed he had an excuse. Luckily, Mad had appeared. 

He was out of the car almost as quickly as he pulled the car up, taking back the place Mare had. “We need a hospital, he needs more attention then only I can give him.” He lead the upset man to the back of the car. “You drive.”

“Someone shot me.” Dark murmured, pissed. “In broad daylight. Who were they?”

Mare never actually checked, but one look confirmed to quickly. “Maniac.”

“I am going to kill them all.” Dark murmured, but his eyes were fluttering.

“Hey.” Mad snapped his fingers in front of his eyes. “Come on Dark, you know the drill. Stay awake.”

“S’Lot easier when you're not the one shot.” Dark slurred. “I’m-I’m done with these attempts on our lives. They shot Anti, they shot me, they imprisoned Mare, and they branded you and I’m done!”

“Why does he kind of sound drunk?” Mare asked as he drove them to the closest hospital. 

“Coping mechanism, I’m guessing.” Mad supplied. “For the pain?”

“I’m not in pain.” Dark snapped. “I’m in anger. I’m fucking angry!”

“We know.” Mad murmured, pressing the jacket a little harder. “Take this right Mare.”

The hospital took one look at their patient and lost their shit.

There was a lot of advantages to funding medical practices. One of them is that he was recognized for it. Which meant he got the best service. If he dies, then the funding stops coming in, and they could lose everything.

So it was safe to say that he was in the best care he could be in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a new story in the collection up! It's basically a bunch of short stories put together for ease of reading. If you liked this story, I plan to upload a short story of this world into that story next week, so keep in tune!


End file.
